autosomal
UK[ˌɔːtəˈsəʊml]US[ˌɔːtəˈsoʊml]
adj
Relating to or denoting an autosome, any chromosome that is not a sex chromosome.
Morpheme Breakdown
auto
som
al
auto
self
som
body
al
adjective suffix
Etymology
The term 'autosomal' is a modern scientific compound built from classical elements. Its core component, 'autosome', was coined in the early 20th century from Greek autos ("self") and sōma ("body"), to designate the chromosomes not involved in sex determination—the "body's own" chromosomes, as opposed to the allosomes (sex chromosomes). The suffix -al, of Latin origin, is then appended to form the adjective. Thus, the word's literal construction, "pertaining to the self-body," logically evolved into the precise genetic meaning of "relating to the non-sex chromosomes."
Analysis
Structure: auto (self) + som (body) + al (adjective suffix)
- auto: From Greek autos, meaning "self". Acts as a combining form.
- som: From Greek sōma, meaning "body". Acts as a root element.
- al: From Latin -alis, a suffix forming adjectives meaning "of, relating to, or characterized by".
Examples
Cystic fibrosis is caused by an autosomal recessive genetic mutation.
The disease shows an autosomal dominant pattern of inheritance.
Researchers identified the gene on an autosomal chromosome.