WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
plei•ot•ro•py
(plī o′trə pē),USA pronunciation n. [Genetics.]
plei•o•trop•ic
(plī′ə trop′ik, -trō′pik),USA pronunciation adj.
plei′o•trop′i•cal•ly, adv.
- Geneticsthe phenomenon of one gene being responsible for or affecting more than one phenotypic characteristic.
- 1935–40; pleio- + -tropy