genetic material
nounUK /dʒəˈnɛtɪk məˈtɪəriəl/
US /dʒəˈnɛtɪk məˈtɪriəl/
The tiny instructions inside living things that tell their bodies how to grow and work.
The genetic material in the seed decides what color flowers the plant will have.
RELATED WORDS
OTHER MEANINGS
2. The molecules, mainly DNA, that carry inherited information from parents to offspring.
Scientists studied the genetic material of the virus to understand how it spreads.
3. The total content of genes in a cell or organism.
Each cell in your body contains a full copy of your genetic material.
4. Material in biology that can be copied and passed on to the next generation.
Bacteria can exchange genetic material with one another.