What does recombine mean?
Recombine means to join elements together again, usually after they have been separated, broken apart, or rearranged. It is more specific than the general verb “combine,” because it implies a second or renewed act of joining. The word appears in everyday descriptions of putting pieces, parts, ideas, or resources back together, as in recombining parts of a dismantled machine or recombining separate documents. It is also an important scientific term: in genetics, recombination refers to the exchange and reshuffling of DNA segments during reproduction, helping produce new combinations of inherited traits. Because of this technical association, the word can sound formal in ordinary conversation, although it remains fully standard. Recombination is the corresponding noun, while “recombined” and “recombining” are the verb’s inflected forms.
verbTo combine previously separate or different elements again, or to join again after they have been separated. In genetics, it refers to the process by which DNA from different sources becomes newly combined.
- To bring previously separate elements together again, especially after they have been divided, changed, or taken apart.
- In genetics, to produce a new arrangement of genetic material by exchanging or reshuffling DNA segments.
"The researchers recombined the genetic material from the two cells to create a hybrid."
"The engineers recombined the machine's parts after the redesign."
"During meiosis, genetic material is recombined, creating new combinations of inherited traits."
In genetics, recombination can shuffle inherited DNA into combinations that neither parent originally carried.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of recombine
The word is formed from the prefix re-, meaning “again,” and “combine.” “Combine” entered English in the late Middle English period from Latin combīnāre, a verb meaning “to join two things together,” ultimately associated with the root for “two” and the idea of pairing or grouping.
Related word forms
How recombine is actually used
The prefix re- indicates repetition or a return to a previously combined state. The word is neutral in general use but is especially common in scientific and technical contexts.
Easily confused with recombine
“Combine” generally means to bring elements together, whereas “recombine” emphasizes doing so again after they have been separated or arranged differently.