What does hexaploid mean?
“Hexaploid” is a biological term for an organism or cell with six complete sets of chromosomes. It is especially prominent in discussions of plant genetics, because bread wheat is hexaploid, with 42 chromosomes organized into six sets of seven. The word is also used more broadly for organisms whose ancestors or parental species have different chromosome sets, including allopolyploid forms arising through hybridization. In such cases, the six sets need not be identical. As an adjective, “hexaploid” describes a chromosome complement, organism, cell, or genetic state; as a noun, it denotes an organism or cell with that complement. The related noun “hexaploidy” names the condition itself. Hexaploidy is scientifically important because chromosome duplication and hybridization can produce new species and introduce useful variation, particularly in crop plants. Outside genetics and related scientific fields, the word is uncommon and should generally be understood as technical rather than everyday vocabulary.
Having or consisting of six complete sets of chromosomes.
"The researchers created a hexaploid line by combining chromosome sets from three wheat species."
The adjective is common in genetics, cytogenetics, plant breeding, and evolutionary biology.
An organism or cell whose chromosome complement comprises six complete sets.
"The synthetic hexaploid flowered and produced viable seeds."
The noun is countable, with the standard plural “hexaploids.”
Used for multiple organisms or cells having six complete chromosome sets.
"Several hexaploids were identified among the hybrid plants."
Six sets of seven give bread wheat its familiar 42 chromosomes.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does hexaploid come from?
“Hexaploid” combines the Greek-derived prefix hexa-, meaning “six,” with the combining form -ploid, ultimately associated with Greek eidos, meaning “form.” The second element also appears in related biological terms such as haploid, diploid, and ploidy. The compound was developed within modern biological terminology to describe the presence of six chromosome sets.
Related word forms
How hexaploid is actually used
This is a specialized biological and genetic term. It refers to six complete chromosome sets, not merely six individual chromosomes. It is used in plant breeding, cytogenetics, evolutionary biology, and genomics.
Easily confused with hexaploid
Ploidy is the general term for the number of chromosome sets in a cell, whereas a hexaploid specifically has six complete sets.