Mendel's law

noun

Men·​del's law ˈmen-dᵊlz- 

1

: a principle in genetics: hereditary units occur in pairs that separate during gamete formation so that every gamete receives but one member of a pair

called also law of segregation

2

: a principle in genetics limited and modified by the subsequent discovery of the phenomenon of linkage: the different pairs of hereditary units are distributed to the gametes independently of each other, the gametes combine at random, and the various combinations of hereditary pairs occur in the zygotes according to the laws of chance

called also law of independent assortment

3

: a principle in genetics proved subsequently to be subject to many limitations: because one of each pair of hereditary units dominates the other in expression, characters are inherited alternatively on an all-or-nothing basis

called also law of dominance

Word History

Etymology

Gregor Mendel

First Known Use

1900, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

Mendel's law

noun

Men·​del's law ˌmen-dᵊlz- 

1

: a principle in genetics: paired inherited units that control the expression of a character (as height or seed color) separate during germ cell formation so that each sperm or egg receives only one member of each pair

called also law of segregation

2

: a principle in genetics that has exceptions due to the discovery of linkage: the members of two or more different pairs of inherited units are passed on to a germ cell independently of each other and the various sperms and eggs unite according to the laws of chance sometimes resulting in new combinations of inherited units and of the characters they control

called also law of independent assortment

3

: a principle in genetics that has many exceptions: when the two members of a pair of inherited units are different, the dominant one controls the expression of the character

called also law of dominance

Medical Definition

Mendel's law

noun

Men·​del's law ˌmen-dᵊlz- 

1

: a principle in genetics: hereditary units occur in pairs that separate during gamete formation so that every gamete receives but one member of a pair

called also law of segregation

2

: a principle in genetics limited and modified by the subsequent discovery of the phenomenon of linkage: the different pairs of hereditary units are distributed to the gametes independently of each other, the gametes combine at random, and the various combinations of hereditary pairs occur in the zygotes according to the laws of chance

called also law of independent assortment

3

: a principle in genetics proved subsequently to be subject to many limitations: because one of each pair of hereditary units dominates the other in expression, characters are inherited as alternatives on an all-or-nothing basis

called also law of dominance