multigenic
|mul-ti-gen-ic|
/ˌmʌltiˈdʒɛnɪk/
caused by many genes
Etymology
'multigenic' originates from combining the Latin prefix 'multi-' (from Latin 'multus', meaning 'many') and the combining form '-genic' (from Greek roots such as 'gen-'/'genos', meaning 'birth, origin', via New Latin/Modern scientific usage).
'multigenic' was formed in modern scientific English by joining 'multi-' + '-genic' (the latter being a combining form used in genetics and biology since the 19th–20th centuries) and entered technical use in the 20th century to describe traits influenced by many genes.
Initially used to indicate 'produced by or involving many genes', the term's meaning has remained close to that original sense and is now broadly used to mean 'involving multiple genes' in genetics and related sciences.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the state or quality of being multigenic (i.e., a trait or condition influenced by multiple genes).
The multigenic nature of the trait complicates efforts to identify causal variants.
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Adjective 1
involving, controlled by, or resulting from the combined action of multiple genes (rather than a single gene).
Hypertension is often multigenic, with many genes contributing to risk.
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Last updated: 2025/09/18 06:40