Definition

An organism that carries two different forms of a gene at a specific location on its chromosomes.

Example

The heterozygote for the trait showed a mix of characteristics from both parents.

Conversation

Have you ever heard of a heterozygote in genetics?

Yeah, I think it's an organism with different alleles, right?

Exactly! It's interesting how those variations can affect traits.

Totally! I love learning about how genetics works.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Heterozygote → It is formed from "hetero-" (from Greek "heteros", meaning different) and "zygote" (from Greek "zygotos", meaning joined or yoke). The word refers to an organism that has two different alleles for a particular gene, hence the concept of being 'different' in genetic makeup.

Memory Tip

Think of 'different' ('hetero-') genes being 'joined' ('zygote') together — that's what a heterozygote is, an organism with different alleles.

Visually Confused Words