phenotype
|phen-o-type|
/ˈfiːnətaɪp/
observable traits
Etymology
'phenotype' originates from modern scientific usage (coined in German as 'Phänotyp'), where the elements come from Greek: 'pheno-' from Greek 'phaínō' meaning 'to show' and '-type' from Greek 'tupos' meaning 'impression, form, type'.
'phenotype' was coined in the early 20th century (German 'Phänotyp', introduced in scientific literature by Wilhelm Johannsen) and was adopted into English scientific vocabulary with the same form 'phenotype'.
Initially used to denote the observable form or appearance of an organism in distinction from its genotype; this core meaning has been retained and remains the primary sense in modern biology.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the set of observable characteristics or traits of an organism that result from the interaction of its genotype with the environment.
The researchers compared the phenotype of plants grown in different light conditions.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Verb 1
to determine, describe, or classify the phenotype of an organism or sample (often by observation or measurement).
Scientists phenotype the bacterial strains to identify differences in colony morphology.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/12/28 05:37