adj Uncommon

GMO

GMO (adj) means describing a plant, animal, or other organism whose DNA has been deliberately altered using genetic engineering. Example: “The label confirmed the corn syrup came from GMO corn.”

adj

Describing a plant, animal, or other organism whose DNA has been deliberately altered using genetic engineering.

"The label confirmed the corn syrup came from GMO corn."

"Several countries require GMO ingredients to be clearly labelled on packaging."

How to use GMO

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishDescribes food or crops that have had their genes directly edited in a lab, rather than being bred naturally.

Common mistake

GMO is technically an abbreviation for "genetically modified organism" (a noun), but it is very commonly used as an adjective, as in "GMO-free."

Common pairings

GMO crops GMO-free non-GMO

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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

The label confirmed the corn syrup came from _____ corn.

Frequently asked questions

What does “GMO” mean?

The word “GMO” means describing a plant, animal, or other organism whose DNA has been deliberately altered using genetic engineering. In plain terms, describes food or crops that have had their genes directly edited in a lab, rather than being bred naturally.

How do you use “GMO” in a sentence?

Here is “GMO” used in a sentence: “The label confirmed the corn syrup came from GMO corn.”

What part of speech is “GMO”?

“GMO” is an adjective.

Is “GMO” a common word?

“GMO” is an uncommon word in modern English.