recessive

UK: /rɪˈsɛsɪv/ US: /rɪˈsɛsɪv/ ,(ri ses′iv)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

re•ces•sive /rɪˈsɛsɪv/   adj. 

1. tending to recede.
2. Genetics of or relating to one of a pair of hereditary traits that is masked by the other when both are present in an organism.

See -cess-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

re•ces•sive  (ri ses′iv), adj. 

1. tending to go, move, or slant back;
   receding.
2. Genetics of or pertaining to a recessive.
3. Phonetics (of an accent) showing a tendency to recede from the end toward the beginning of a word.

n. Genetics. 

4. Genetics that one of a pair of alternative alleles whose effect is masked by the activity of the second when both are present in the same cell or organism.
5. Genetics the trait or character determined by such an allele. Cf. dominant (def. 6).

• Latin recess(us) (see recess) + -ive
• 1665–75

re•ces′sive•ly, adv. 
re•ces′sive•ness, n. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

recessive / rɪˈsɛsɪv/ adjective

1. tending to recede or go back; receding
2. (of a gene) capable of producing its characteristic phenotype in the organism only when its allele is identical
3. (of a character) controlled by such a gene
   Compare dominant4
4. (of stress) tending to be placed on or near the initial syllable of a polysyllabic word

noun

1. a recessive gene or character

reˈcessively adverb

reˈcessiveness noun