Recessive

//ɹɪˈsɛsɪv// adj, noun

adj, noun ·Uncommon ·Advanced level

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    A gene that is recessive.

    "Suppose, for example, that we started with a population consisting of pure dominants, heterozygotes, and recessives in the ratio 1 : 4 : 4."

  2. 2
    an allele that produces its characteristic phenotype only when its paired allele is identical wordnet
Adjective
  1. 1
    Going back; receding.
  2. 2
    Able to be masked by a dominant allele or trait.

    "1944 June 21, James A. G. Rehn, South African Bird-Locust Records and Notes (Orthoptera; Acrididae; Cyrtacanthacridinae; Group Cyrtacanthacres), Notulae Naturae, Number 137, Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, page 3, The Lydenburg male and the other two females have the infuscate pattern definitely more recessive and less evident, although traceable."

  3. 3
    Not dominant; whose effect is masked by stronger effects. broadly

    "The worker–client relationship is more recessive and has a more catalytic and enabling quality."

Adjective
  1. 1
    (of genes) producing its characteristic phenotype only when its allele is identical wordnet
  2. 2
    of or pertaining to a recession wordnet

Synonyms

All synonyms
recessionaryatavisticreactionaryrecedentrecessionalrecessionary

Example

More examples

"1944 June 21, James A. G. Rehn, South African Bird-Locust Records and Notes (Orthoptera; Acrididae; Cyrtacanthacridinae; Group Cyrtacanthacres), Notulae Naturae, Number 137, Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, page 3, The Lydenburg male and the other two females have the infuscate pattern definitely more recessive and less evident, although traceable."

Etymology

From Latin recēdō + -ive, or directly from New Latin recessīvus.

More for "recessive"

SynonymsSentencesPronunciationTranslate

Next best steps

Find stronger synonymsSee usage examplesCheck pronunciationBrowse writing guides

Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.