morgan
0 synonyms and 0 antonyms for morgan, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A unit used by geneticists to describe how far apart two genes sit on a chromosome, based on how often they are inherited together.
We haven't recorded synonyms for morgan yet. You can still read its full definition, where it comes from, or words that rhyme with it.
How to use morgan
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Etymology
Both senses honour real people named Morgan — the genetics unit after biologist Thomas Hunt Morgan, and the horse breed after its original owner, Justin Morgan.
Full origin of morgan →Frequently asked questions
What does “morgan” mean?
The word “morgan” means a unit used by geneticists to describe how far apart two genes sit on a chromosome, based on how often they are inherited together. In plain terms, mostly known today as a horse breed and a surname; the genetics unit is specialist vocabulary.
How do you pronounce “morgan”?
“Morgan” is pronounced MAW-guhn (/ˈmɔɹɡən/ in IPA).
How do you use “morgan” in a sentence?
Here is “morgan” used in a sentence: “The two genes are separated by roughly half a morgan.”
What part of speech is “morgan”?
“Morgan” is a noun.
Is “morgan” a common word?
“Morgan” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “morgan” have?
“Morgan” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a unit used by geneticists to describe how far apart two genes sit on a chromosome, based on how often they are inherited together.
What does a morgan measure?
A morgan measures genetic distance — how far apart two genes lie on a chromosome. It is based not on physical length but on how often the genes are separated during inheritance. Genes far apart are shuffled more often; those close together are usually passed on as a pair.
What is a centimorgan?
A centimorgan is one hundredth of a morgan, and it is the unit geneticists actually use most of the time, since a full morgan is quite large. One centimorgan roughly corresponds to a one percent chance that two genes are separated during inheritance. It is common in DNA-ancestry results.
Who is the morgan named after?
The unit honors Thomas Hunt Morgan, an American geneticist whose early-1900s work with fruit flies helped establish that genes sit in a line along chromosomes. His research on how traits are inherited together earned him a Nobel Prize, and the unit of genetic distance was later named in his memory.