hereditaryinstructions
nounUK /hɪˈrɛdɪtəri ɪnˈstrʌkʃənz/
US /həˈrɛdəˌtɛri ɪnˈstrʌkʃənz/
Tiny messages passed from parents to children that tell the body how to grow.
The color of your eyes comes from hereditary instructions you got from your mom and dad.
RELATED WORDS
OTHER MEANINGS
2. The set of rules a living thing receives from its ancestors that shape how it looks and works.
Scientists study hereditary instructions to understand why some plants grow taller than others.
3. Information carried in cells that is copied and passed on when living things reproduce.
Each seed contains hereditary instructions for making a new plant.
4. The biological blueprint that makes offspring similar to their parents.
Puppies share hereditary instructions with their mother, which is why they look alike.