Definition

A type of chromosome that is not involved in determining the sex of an organism.

Example

Humans have 22 pairs of autosomes and one pair of sex chromosomes.

Conversation

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

Oh, I think I've heard of that! It's related to chromosomes, right?

Yes, it refers to chromosomes that aren't sex chromosomes.

That makes sense! It's interesting how they play a role in inheritance.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Autosome → It is formed from "auto-" (from Greek "αὐτός", meaning self) and "soma" (from Greek "σῶμα", meaning body). The word "autosome" refers to a chromosome that is not a sex chromosome, essentially a body chromosome that is the same in both sexes.

Memory Tip

Think of 'self' ('auto-') and 'body' ('soma') to remember that an autosome is a chromosome related to the body, not the sex.

Visually Confused Words