recessive

1 of 2

adjective

re·​ces·​sive ri-ˈse-siv 

1

a

: tending to recede

b

: withdrawn sense 2

2

a

: producing little or no phenotypic effect when occurring in heterozygous condition with a contrasting allele

recessive genes

b

: expressed only when the determining gene is in the homozygous condition

recessive traits

a recessive disease

recessively adverb

recessiveness noun

recessive

2 of 2

noun

1

: an organism possessing one or more recessive characters

2

: a recessive character or gene

Synonyms

Adjective

• backward
• bashful
• coy
• demure
• diffident
• introverted
• modest
• retiring
• self-effacing
• sheepish
• shy
• withdrawn

Examples of recessive in a Sentence

Adjective

a recessive genius who was most comfortable working alone in his chemistry lab

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

One of the animals is black, or melanistic — an uncommon trait caused by recessive genes, which is estimated to be present in about 1 in 10 leopards, according to Britannica. —Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 18 Feb. 2025

Albinism—a recessive trait that both parents must carry to guarantee their offspring have the gene—usually comes with an inherent evolutionary handicap, as the lack of pigment in their eyes increases glare from the sun, temporarily blinding the animals. —Michelle Mastro, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Feb. 2025

Noun

Eliza Strickland: Geneticists talk about these genetic variants as being dominant or recessive. —IEEE Spectrum, 4 Apr. 2013

The big, accessible Now dominates a recessive, endangered Then. —Holland Cotter, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1654, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1900, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for recessive

• aggressive
• compressive
• concessive
• depressive
• excessive
• expressive
• impressive
• obsessive
• oppressive
• possessive
• progressive
• regressive

Kids Definition

recessive

1 of 2 adjective

re·​ces·​sive ri-ˈses-iv 

1

: tending to go back

2

: producing a bodily characteristic (as eye color) when homozygous and not masked by a copy of the gene that is dominant

recessive genes

also : exhibited by the body only when the determining gene is homozygous

blue eye color is a recessive trait

recessively adverb

recessiveness noun

recessive

2 of 2 noun

1

: a recessive characteristic or gene

2

: an individual that has one or more recessive characteristics

Medical Definition

recessive

1 of 2 adjective

re·​ces·​sive ri-ˈses-iv 

1

: producing little or no phenotypic effect when occurring in heterozygous condition with a contrasting allele

recessive genes

2

: expressed only when the determining gene is in the homozygous condition

recessive traits

recessively adverb

recessiveness noun

recessive

2 of 2 noun

1

: a recessive character or gene

2

: an organism possessing one or more recessive characters