phe·no·type
ˈfē-nə-ˌtīp 
plural phenotypes
1
: the observable characteristics or traits of an organism that are produced by the interaction of the genotype and the environment : the physical expression of one or more genes
Considering that modern maize is a tetraploid, it is remarkable how many single gene mutations cause profound changes in phenotype.—
Virginia Walbot
Virginia WalbotA breed is a group of genetically related individuals with a common phenotype—physical characteristics, such as ear and muzzle shapes, and behavioral tendencies, such as those of a retriever to swim or a border collie to herd …—Mark Derr
Mark DerrPhenotype is how that DNA physically manifests itself—in this case, as the susceptibility to disease, or the progression of disease, or the susceptibility of the disease itself to treatment, all of which likely have a genetic component.—Gary Taubes
Gary Taubes2
: the observable characteristics or traits of a disease
… a mild disorder whose clinical phenotype overlaps with that of the Marfan syndrome …—Petros Tsipouras et al.
Petros Tsipouras et al.
phenotypic
adjective
or less commonly phenotypical
phenotypic variation
phenotypic expression
phenotyped; phenotyping; phenotypes
: to determine, analyze, or predict all or part of a phenotype of
Red cells were phenotyped as M + or M -.—Raymond L. Comenzo et al.
Raymond L. Comenzo et al.… a team … recently decided to examine the data collected so far to determine how many of the phenotyped mice had eye problems.—Michelle Wong
Michelle WongThe asthma in these patients was not phenotyped. We do not have any information regarding the eosinophil count or other markers such as exhaled oral nitric oxide in these subjects.—Faria Nasim
Faria NasimExamples of phenotype in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
Oral clues to cardiac disease: Buccal epithelium changes precede cardiac phenotype in arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathies.
—Hannah Millington, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Aug. 2025
Quanta Magazine, 11 Jan. 2022
The European Union spent some €250 million (about US $300 million) between 2005 and 2015 on plant phenotyping research infrastructure, and American crop giants and government agencies are spending millions on this research alongside major breeding companies such as Syngenta and Bayer.
—IEEE Spectrum, 19 Dec. 2018
See All Example Sentences for phenotype
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Noun
Given the negligible genetic difference between the quagga and the plains zebra, selective breeding with the goal of reduced striping was the project’s best shot at reviving the phenotype.
—Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
Oral clues to cardiac disease: Buccal epithelium changes precede cardiac phenotype in arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathies.
—Hannah Millington, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Aug. 2025
Verb
To Tobias Warnecke, a molecular evolutionary biologist at Imperial College London, fitness landscapes are an invaluable way to connect genotype to phenotype.
—Quanta Magazine, 11 Jan. 2022
The European Union spent some €250 million (about US $300 million) between 2005 and 2015 on plant phenotyping research infrastructure, and American crop giants and government agencies are spending millions on this research alongside major breeding companies such as Syngenta and Bayer.
—IEEE Spectrum, 19 Dec. 2018
See All Example Sentences for phenotype
Cite this Entry
“Phenotype.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/phenotype. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
phenotype
noun
phe·no·type
ˈfē-nə-ˌtīp
: the visible characteristics of a plant or animal that result from the combined effects of the genes and the environment
Medical Definition
phenotype
noun
phe·no·type
ˈfē-nə-ˌtīp
1
: the observable characteristics or traits of an organism that are produced by the interaction of the genotype and the environment : the physical expression of one or more genes
Considerable data on ABO blood group phenotypes and alleles now exist showing marked differentiation between geographical areas such as Europe and Asia …—J.A. Beardmore et al.
J.A. Beardmore et al.The mice also developed an osteoporotic phenotype that was not due to a defect in osteoblast differentiation, but rather to a marked decline in the output of bone matrix per osteoblast.—Patrick Ducy et al.
Patrick Ducy et al.2
: the observable characteristics or traits of a disease
… a mild disorder whose clinical phenotype overlaps with that of the Marfan syndrome …—Petros Tsipouras et al.
Petros Tsipouras et al.Love words? Need even more definitions?
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