Definition

The genetic condition of a zygote, which refers to whether it has identical or different alleles from its parents.

Example

The zygosity of the embryos was tested to determine their genetic similarity.

Conversation

I just learned about zygosity in my biology class.

Oh really? What does that mean?

It's about the genetic condition of a zygote, like whether it's a homozygote or heterozygote.

That sounds interesting! Genetics can get pretty complex.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Zygosity is formed from "zygo-" (from Greek "zygon", meaning yoke or pair) and "-sity" (a suffix used to form nouns indicating a state or condition). The term refers to the state of being joined together, particularly in genetics, where it describes the genetic constitution of an organism in terms of its alleles.

Memory Tip

Think of 'zygo-' meaning 'yoke' or 'pair', which helps you remember that 'zygosity' refers to the state of being joined together, especially in genetics.

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