pleiotropic

adjective

pleio·​tro·​pic ˌplī-ə-ˈtrō-pik How to pronounce pleiotropic (audio)
-ˈträ-
: producing more than one effect
especially : having multiple phenotypic expressions
a pleiotropic gene

Examples of pleiotropic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Consequently, the cumulative selective force acting over time on diverse traits caused by a single pleiotropic mutation could have driven the rise and spread of 370A. Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 19 Feb. 2013 For example, the xol-1 mutant which produced maleless populations may have had pleiotropic effects. Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 13 Jan. 2011 Stephen Hsu of Michigan State University, one of Genomic Prediction’s founders, acknowledges the theoretical risk of this, but argues that serious pleiotropic effects are unlikely. The Economist, 7 Nov. 2019

Word History

First Known Use

1938, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pleiotropic was in 1938

Dictionary Entries Near pleiotropic

Cite this Entry

“Pleiotropic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pleiotropic. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

Medical Definition

pleiotropic

adjective
pleio·​tro·​pic ˌplī-ə-ˈtrōp-ik How to pronounce pleiotropic (audio) -ˈträp- How to pronounce pleiotropic (audio)
: producing more than one effect
especially : having multiple phenotypic expressions
a pleiotropic gene
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!