| absolute monarchy |
an authoritarian governing system in which a hereditary ruler holds complete power until death. |
| allele |
one of several forms of a gene responsible for hereditary variations, usu. produced by mutation. |
| baron |
a member of the hereditary nobility. In Great Britain, a baron is a nobleman of the lowest rank; peer. [1/2 definitions] |
| baronet |
a member of the hereditary nobility ranking below a baron and above a knight. |
| caste |
one of the four hereditary classes into which Hindu society is divided. [1/4 definitions] |
| chromosome |
one of the tiny, threadlike, DNA-containing bodies found in the cell nuclei of all plants and animals, responsible for transmitting hereditary characteristics. |
| clan |
among the Scottish Highlanders, a traditional basis of social organization, composed of a group of families claiming a common hereditary ancestor. [1/3 definitions] |
| congenital |
existing from birth, but usu. not hereditary. [1/2 definitions] |
| DNA |
abbreviation of deoxyribonucleic acid; any of several acids occurring mainly in cellular nuclei and involved in the transmission of hereditary traits and the formation of proteins.. |
| dynast |
a ruler, esp. a hereditary one. |
| gene |
a section of a chromosome that determines the structure of a single protein or part of one, thereby influencing a particular hereditary characteristic, such as eye color, or a particular biochemical reaction. |
| genealogy |
a chart or record showing the ancestors and lines of hereditary descent of a person or group; family tree. [1/2 definitions] |
| gene pool |
the total of all the hereditary characteristics on which a single species draws. |
| legitimist |
one who supports legitimate authority, esp. that of a claim to a throne based on hereditary right. |
| microevolution |
the slight hereditary alteration of an organism, as by new combinations of genes, that precedes a small degree of change in a particular form of life. |
| monarch |
a sole, often hereditary ruler such as a king, queen, or emperor. [1/2 definitions] |
| noble |
of, concerning, or belonging to a class of society that bears hereditary titles of rank or status; aristocratic. [1/4 definitions] |
| nonhereditary |
combined form of hereditary. |
| -on1 |
basic hereditary element. [1/3 definitions] |
| plasmagene |
a cytoplasmic structure or substance that is thought to carry hereditary characteristics and function in a manner similar to, but independent of, chromosomal genes. |
| plasmid |
a DNA-containing, self-reproducing element in the cytoplasm of some bacteria which exists outside the chromosome, used in recombinant DNA technology because it can alter a hereditary characteristic when introduced into another bacterium. |