tetrad Hear it!

tetrad definition

tet·rad (te′trad′)

noun

  1. a group or set of four
  2. Bot. a group of four cells formed by division within a spore mother cell during meiosis
  3. Chem. an atom, radical, or element that is tetravalent
  4. Genetics a group of four similar chromatids formed by the longitudinal division of a pair of homologous chromosomes during meiotic prophase

Etymology: Gr tetras (gen. tetrados), four: see tetra-

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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