recombinant
|re-com-bi-nant|
/ˌriːkəmˈbɪnənt/
joined again / recombined
Etymology
'recombinant' originates from the prefix 're-' (from Latin) + the verb 'recombine' in English, where 're-' meant 'again' and Latin 'combinare' (from 'com-' + 'binare') meant 'to join together'.
'recombinant' changed from the verb form 'recombine' (from Late Latin/Modern Latin 'recombinare') with the adjectival/nominal suffix '-ant' to become the modern English term 'recombinant'.
Initially it meant 'joined together again' in a general sense, but over time it has specialized in scientific usage to mean 'formed by genetic recombination' or more broadly 'combined from different sources.'
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
an organism, cell, or molecule (such as a DNA molecule) that has been formed by genetic recombination or by combining material from different sources.
The lab created several recombinants to study how the inserted gene affects metabolism.
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Adjective 1
formed by or relating to genetic recombination; produced by combining genetic material from different sources (often used in genetics and biotechnology).
Recombinant proteins produced in bacteria are used as medicines and research tools.
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Last updated: 2025/11/26 00:34