Chromosome
/ˈkroʊ.məˌsoʊm/noun
A threadlike structure of nucleic acids and protein found in the nucleus of most living cells, carrying genetic information.
Did you know?The word was coined in the late 19th century from Greek roots, and its “color” part reflects laboratory staining rather than any mystical belief—yet it became the label for the hidden carriers of heredity.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
chrôma (χρῶμα)
“color, hue, complexion”
Ancient Greek
Greek
sôma (σῶμα)
“body”
1880s
German
Chromosom
“a cell nucleus structure that stains readily”
Late 19th Century
English
chromosome
“a stained body in a cell nucleus”
Modern English
English
chromosome
“a DNA-containing structure carrying genes”
Explore more surprising origins