Recessive

Relating to a gene or trait that is masked by a dominant allele and expressed only when two recessive alleles are present.

adjective

Recessive

Relating to a gene or trait that is masked by a dominant allele and expressed only when two recessive alleles are present.

adjective

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Imagine This

Imagine two color genes in a pea plant. The dominant allele produces a bold color, while the recessive allele yields a pale color. If the plant has one bold and one pale allele, the bold color shows. Only when the plant has two pale alleles does the pale color appear.

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Sounds Like

ri-SESS-iv

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Looks Like

Looks like recess + ive; visually resembles the word recess

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Remember This

Recessive traits can skip generations because an individual can carry a recessive allele without expressing it if a dominant allele is present.

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Other Forms

recessivenessnoun

recessivelyadverb

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Connect With

dominant, carrier, homozygous, heterozygous, allele, phenotype, genotype

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Note

In genetics, recessive does not mean weaker or less important. It simply means the trait is masked by a dominant allele unless two recessive copies are present. Also distinguish recessive from recessive interactions in non-genetic contexts.

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Study Deeper

Examples

In peas, the allele for purple flowers is dominant, while the allele for white flowers is recessive.
An individual with genotype rr is homozygous recessive and shows the recessive phenotype.

Synonyms

latenthiddensubduedinconspicuousdormant

Antonyms

dominantexpressedvisible

Etymology

From Latin recessivus, from recedere 'to go back, retreat' + the suffix -ive; in genetics, it refers to a trait that 'recedes' or is masked by a dominant allele.

Mnemonic

Recessive reminds you of recede: the trait recedes (is hidden) when a dominant allele is present.