A theoretical unit of heredity of living organisms; a gene may take several values and in principle predetermines a precise trait of an organism's form (phenotype), such as hair color.
"Scientists discovered that a single gene determines the unique shade of blue in her eyes, overriding all other pigmentation factors."
In plain English: A gene is a tiny section of DNA that holds the instructions for making specific parts of your body.
"Scientists believe that a specific gene is responsible for her blue eyes."
Usage: Use the word "gene" to refer to a specific segment of DNA that determines a particular inherited trait, such as eye color or blood type. Do not confuse it with "genus," which is a broader biological classification grouping together related species.
A diminutive of Eugene, also used as a formal male given name.
"The baby was named Gene by his grandparents, though everyone at school called him Gene because it sounded friendly and short."
The word "gene" was coined in 1909 by Danish botanist Wilhelm Johannsen and entered English from his German-language work. He derived it from the final syllable of pangene, which itself comes from the Ancient Greek for "generation."