What does dicentric mean?
Dicentric is a technical term from genetics meaning 'having two centromeres'. A centromere is the specialized region of a chromosome to which spindle fibers attach during cell division, and normal chromosomes carry exactly one. A dicentric chromosome arises most often when radiation or certain chemicals break chromosomes into pieces that rejoin incorrectly, fusing two centromere-bearing fragments into a single abnormal structure. During cell division, its two centromeres may be pulled toward opposite poles, forming what cytologists call a dicentric bridge that typically breaks again and drives further instability. Because the frequency of dicentrics in blood lymphocytes correlates closely with ionizing-radiation dose, laboratories use them as a biological dosimeter after suspected exposure accidents. The word functions chiefly as an adjective ('dicentric chromosome') but also as a countable noun ('three dicentrics per hundred cells'), and it belongs almost exclusively to cytogenetics, radiobiology, and medical literature.
(Of a chromosome or chromatid) having two centromeres.
"The irradiated cells showed a high frequency of dicentric chromosomes."
Almost always found in cytogenetic and radiobiological writing, modifying terms such as chromosome, chromatid, bridge, or aberration.
A dicentric chromosome.
"Scoring dicentrics is a standard method for estimating radiation dose after exposure."
Used mainly as specialist shorthand within genetics laboratories.
As a noun, dicentric takes the regular plural -s and is commonly counted when scoring chromosomal aberrations.
"The analysis detected twelve dicentrics across the sampled cells."
In cytogenetics, counting dicentric chromosomes in blood cells is so reliable a marker of radiation exposure that it's essentially a biological dosimeter written into your DNA.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of dicentric
Dicentric combines the prefix di-, from Greek 'dis' meaning twice or double, with 'centric', from Latin 'centrum' and ultimately Greek 'kentron' (sharp point, center). It entered English in the late nineteenth century alongside the rise of modern cytology, when scientists first described chromosome structure and behavior under the microscope. It shares this center-root with words like eccentric, concentric, and heliocentric.
How dicentric is actually used
Strictly technical vocabulary, confined to cytogenetics, radiobiology, and related laboratory literature; it would sound out of place outside scientific contexts. As an adjective it normally precedes the nouns 'chromosome', 'chromatid', 'bridge', or 'aberration'. The noun use (a dicentric) is common shorthand among specialists.
Easily confused with dicentric
A centromere is the constricted region of a chromosome where spindle fibers attach, whereas dicentric describes a chromosome that has two of these regions.
An acentric chromosome lacks a centromere entirely, while a dicentric chromosome has two.