Chimerism

/ˈkɪmərɪzəm/ noun

Definition

In biology, the condition of an organism made up of cells from two or more genetically distinct sources; in general usage, the state of being chimeric.

Etymology

From Greek 'Chimaira' plus the suffix '-ism,' creating a noun for the condition or phenomenon of being made of incongruous parts.

Kelly Says

Chimerism actually happens naturally—human women carrying male fetuses develop chimerism with fetal cells, and some people have two different blood types, making us all potential walking Greek monsters at the genetic level.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.