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Glite Dictionary
sex linkage

sex linkage

1 8.2
A gene on a sex chromosome that makes a trait appear more often in one sex than the other
  • noun
  • /sɛks ˈlɪŋkɪdʒ/
  • Specialized
translation icon : vinculación sexual
  • The concept of sex linkage is crucial in genetics.

Examples

  • The inheritance of hemophilia is explained by sex linkage, as the gene is found on the X chromosome.

  • Mendelian genetics did not fully account for the effects of sex linkage on certain inherited traits.

  • Red-green color blindness is a classic example of a trait determined by sex linkage.

  • In some species, sex linkage determines color blindness.

  • Sex linkage often results in certain traits, like color blindness, being more common in sex linkage males than females.

  • Researchers studied sex linkage to understand why some inherited conditions appear more frequently in one gender.

  • The concept of sex linkage helps explain the genetic differences observed between male and female organisms.

Surface Forms

sex linkage singular
sex linkages plural

Morphology

sex + linkage

The noun phrase is compositionally built: 'sex' (male/female) + 'linkage' (genes inherited together) yields a straightforward meaning of genetic linkage related to sex chromosomes. This is a literal, technical compound (analogous constructions occur in many languages), so a learner who knows both constituents can infer the MWE's meaning.

Etymology

Sex linkage names the idea that some genes are tied to the body's sex chromosomes. The word linkage shows they are 'linked' to those chromosomes, so the trait often appears more in 'one sex' than the other.