telomere

noun

telo·​mere ˈte-lə-ˌmir How to pronounce telomere (audio) ˈtē- How to pronounce telomere (audio)
: the natural end of a eukaryotic chromosome composed of a usually repetitive DNA sequence and serving to stabilize the chromosome

Examples of telomere in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
However, the enzyme telomerase can rebuild telomeres to restore cell division. New Atlas, 24 Oct. 2024 Now, this requires stepping back to explain the importance of telomerase and telomeres and their relation to cancer growth. New Atlas, 24 Oct. 2024 By tracking telomere length, the personalized language model could detect when telomeres start to shorten at a faster pace, indicating potential health issues. Dr. Nimish G. Patel, Forbes, 30 Sep. 2024 Aging shrinks telomeres, but longer than normal telomeres aren’t healthy either, as they’re associated with higher cancer risks. science.org, 21 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for telomere 

Word History

Etymology

International Scientific Vocabulary

First Known Use

1940, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of telomere was in 1940

Dictionary Entries Near telomere

Cite this Entry

“Telomere.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/telomere. Accessed 24 Nov. 2024.

Medical Definition

telomere

noun
: the natural end of a eukaryotic chromosome composed of a usually repetitive DNA sequence and serving to stabilize the chromosome
telomeric adjective
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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