Recessive

Definition

A recessive trait or gene is one that can be masked by a dominant counterpart and is expressed in the offspring only when both alleles (one from each parent) are recessive. In the context of inheritance, an individual needs to inherit two copies of a recessive allele for the trait to be exhibited.

Related terms

Dominant:

A dominant trait or gene expresses itself over a recessive one and determines a specific characteristic even when only one copy is inherited.

Allele:

An allele is one of two or more versions of a gene that determine variations in genetic traits.

Genotype:

Genotype refers to the genetic makeup of an organism, including both dominant and recessive alleles