What does autosomal mean?
Autosomal is an adjective from the field of genetics that means 'relating to autosomes' — the twenty-two pairs of chromosomes in humans that are not involved in determining sex. Because these chromosomes carry the great majority of our genes, the term appears constantly in medical and scientific writing: disorders are classified as autosomal dominant or autosomal recessive depending on how they are inherited, and commercial ancestry tests advertise their analysis of autosomal DNA, which is passed down from all ancestral lines rather than just one. The word derives from the Greek root 'autos', meaning 'self', combined with '-soma' ('body'), reflecting the idea of self-replicating bodies within the cell. It has no figurative use and belongs firmly to technical registers, but for anyone reading about heredity, genetic disease, or family-history testing, understanding what autosomal means is essential to interpreting the science accurately.
adjectiveRelating to or located on an autosome, any of the paired chromosomes other than the sex chromosomes (X and Y). In genetics, it describes genes, traits, or patterns of inheritance that are carried on these non-sex chromosomes.
- Of or relating to autosomes — the chromosomes that are not sex chromosomes.
- (In genetic testing) Describing DNA analysis of the autosomes, used to trace ancestry across both parental lines.
"Cystic fibrosis is an autosomal recessive disorder, meaning a child must inherit a faulty copy of the gene from both parents."
"The condition follows an autosomal dominant pattern, so each child of an affected parent has a fifty percent chance of inheriting it."
"Commercial ancestry tests analyze hundreds of thousands of autosomal markers to estimate your ethnic background."
Your DNA test's 'autosomal' results come from 22 pairs of ordinary chromosomes — while the famous X and Y are left entirely out of the picture.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of autosomal
The term autosomal was formed in English from 'autosome', a coinage combining the Greek 'autos' ('self') with 'soma' ('body'), first applied to the non-sex chromosomes in early twentieth-century cytogenetics as scientists mapped chromosome behavior. The root 'autos' is one of Greek's most productive combining forms, giving English words such as autonomy, automatic, autopsy, and autograph. As genetics matured through the twentieth century, 'autosomal' became standard terminology for describing inheritance patterns tied to these chromosomes, a role it retains today.
Related word forms
How autosomal is actually used
A technical term confined almost entirely to genetics, medicine, and consumer DNA testing. It is essentially always used attributively before a noun — as in 'autosomal trait' or 'autosomal inheritance' — rather than standing alone. There is no figurative or informal usage; using it outside a biological context would be unusual.
Easily confused with autosomal
Autosomal refers specifically to the non-sex chromosomes (autosomes), whereas chromosomal is a broader term covering all chromosomes, including the X and Y.