noun
Common
morgan
MAW-guhn
Morgan (noun) 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. Example: “The two genes are separated by roughly half a morgan.”
noun
1
A unit used by geneticists to describe how far apart two genes sit on a chromosome, based on how often they are inherited together.
"The two genes are separated by roughly half a morgan."
"A morgan is a large distance on a gene map, so those two genes are rarely inherited together."
"The textbook explains that one morgan equals one hundred centimorgans."
2
A sturdy, compact horse breed that originated in Vermont, prized for its versatility.
"Their Morgan pulled the sleigh through the snow without tiring."
"The farmer bought a Morgan because the breed is strong, calm and good with children."
"A Morgan is small enough to ride easily, yet strong enough to pull a cart."
How to use morgan
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishMostly known today as a horse breed and a surname; the genetics unit is specialist vocabulary.
Common pairings
a Morgan horse
one morgan
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Word forms
- Plural
- morgans
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The two genes are separated by roughly half a _____.
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.
Rhymes for morgan
See all rhymes for 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.
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