Definition

Relating to autosomes, which are the chromosomes that are not involved in determining the sex of an individual.

Example

The genetic disorder is caused by an autosomal mutation.

Conversation

I was reading about genetics, and I came across the term autosomal traits.

Oh really? What does that mean exactly?

It refers to traits that are determined by genes located on autosomes, not sex chromosomes.

That’s interesting! It makes sense why they can be inherited from either parent.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Autosomal → It is formed from "auto-" (from Greek "αὐτός" meaning self) and "soma" (from Greek "σῶμα" meaning body). The term "autosomal" refers to chromosomes that are not sex chromosomes, indicating that they are related to the body rather than sex determination.

Memory Tip

Think of 'self' ('auto-') and 'body' ('soma') to remember that 'autosomal' refers to chromosomes related to the body.

Visually Confused Words