allele
allele
Pronunciation
First syllable (a-): /ə/ - This is the unstressed "uh" sound, known as a schwa, like the 'a' in "about".
Second syllable (-llele): /liːl/ - This syllable is stressed. It starts with the /l/ sound, followed by the long 'ee' sound /iː/ as in "feet", and ends with another /l/ sound.
Word Form Variations
Singular (Noun): allele
Plural (Noun): alleles
Adjective: allelic
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun
allele
One of two or more alternative forms of a gene that arise by mutation and are found at the same place (locus) on a chromosome. Think of a gene as a recipe for a trait (like eye color), and alleles as the different versions of that recipe (blue, brown, green).
A specific variation of a genetic sequence.
Synonyms: gene variant, gene form
Antonyms: There are no direct antonyms for allele. A related but distinct concept is a "non-allelic gene," which refers to a completely different gene at a different locus.
Adjective
allelic
Relating to, or characteristic of, an allele or alleles. For example, allelic frequency refers to how common a specific allele is in a population.
Synonyms: pertaining to an allele
Antonyms: non-allelic
Examples of Use
The word allele and its variations are commonly used in scientific and medical contexts that reach the public through educational materials, news reporting, and even entertainment.
In Books
In popular science and academic textbooks, "allele" is a foundational term.
A specific variant of a gene is called an allele. For example, the beta-globin gene, which encodes a subunit of the oxygen-carrying protein hemoglobin, has several hundred alleles. Different alleles may result in no detectable change in the protein’s function, or in minor or major alterations. (From Human Molecular Genetics, 4th Edition)
In News and Online Publications
Journalists often define or use the term when reporting on genetic research, particularly concerning health and disease.
People who carry two copies of the APOE4 allele of the APOE gene have the highest risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. However, not everyone with this genetic makeup gets the disease, which suggests that other factors must be at play. (Adapted from reporting in publications like The New York Times and STAT News)
In Entertainment
Science fiction media frequently uses genetic terminology to build its world. In the film Gattaca, which centers on genetic determinism, the dialogue is filled with such terms.
Geneticist: "You have to be realistic. The child will have a 90% chance of a heart condition... We can remove the problematic alleles and ensure a stronger, healthier child." (A fictitious but representative line of dialogue)
In General Public Discourse
With the rise of direct-to-consumer DNA testing services like 23andMe and AncestryDNA, millions of people have encountered the term in their own health and ancestry reports.
In a typical 23andMe report, a user might read: "You have one copy of the ε4 allele for the APOE gene. People with this variant have a moderately increased risk of developing late-onset Alzheimer's disease." This brings a once-obscure scientific term directly into personal health discussions.
10 Famous Quotes Using Allele
A dominant allele will express its trait even if only one copy is present in the genotype.
In the great genetic lottery, each parent contributes one allele for every gene.
Natural selection acts upon the phenotype, but it is the frequency of the underlying allele that truly shifts over generations. (Adapted from Richard Dawkins)
Genetic counseling can help prospective parents understand the probability of passing on a harmful recessive allele.
A single point mutation is all it takes to create a new allele, introducing novel variation into the population.
The discovery of the blood group allele system was a major breakthrough in both medicine and anthropology.
For a trait to be rare, the responsible allele must necessarily be uncommon in the gene pool.
Some conservation efforts focus on maintaining genetic diversity by preserving rare allele variants in endangered species.
He carried the allele for blue eyes, a recessive trait that had skipped two generations of his family.
The scientist's life work was dedicated to mapping the specific allele responsible for the hereditary disease.
Etymology
The word allele is essentially a shortened, more convenient version of an older, longer scientific term: allelomorph.
This original word was created in the early 1900s by the British biologist William Bateson, who helped popularize Gregor Mendel's groundbreaking work on genetics. He needed a term to describe the different versions of a gene that determine a single trait, like the purple-flower version versus the white-flower version in pea plants.
Bateson built the word "allelomorph" from two Greek roots:
állēlos (ἄλληλος), meaning "one another" or "each other."
morphḗ (μορφή), meaning "form" or "shape."
So, the literal meaning of allelomorph was "one another's form." This perfectly captured the idea that these gene versions are alternatives to each other—they are partners in defining a trait.
Over time, scientists shortened the slightly clunky "allelomorph" to the much sleeker allele, but it retains that original core meaning: one of two or more alternative forms of a gene that are defined in relation to one another.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Allele
Dominant allele: A common scientific phrase for a gene variant that expresses its trait even with only one copy.
Runs in the family: An idiom signifying that a trait, behavior, or quality is shared among members of a family, similar to a heritable allele.
Recessive allele in their nature: A phrase describing a hidden or latent part of someone's personality that only appears under specific circumstances.
Allele frequency: The technical term for how common a specific gene variant is within a population.
A chip off the old block: An expression used when a person resembles one of their parents, as if they inherited a specific behavioral allele.
A different allele of the same idea: A way to describe a variation or alternative version of an existing concept.
Carrier of a risk allele: A common phrase in medical genetics to describe an individual who has a gene variant associated with a higher risk for a disease.
Cut from a different cloth: An idiom for someone who is fundamentally different from others in their group, like having a completely different set of alleles.
The wild-type allele: A scientific term for the most common or "standard" version of a gene in a natural population.
A political allele: A figurative phrase for a core, heritable belief that defines a political dynasty or movement.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of allele from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
