metagenome

M3E1T1A1G2E1N1O1M3E1

noun

All the genetic material present in an environmental sample, consisting of the genomes of many individual organisms.

OriginEnglish genome ← Ancient Greek μετᾰ- (metă-) →
Scrabble 15
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Meanings

nounmetagenome (plural metagenomes)

plural metagenomes

  1. biologyAll the genetic material present in an environmental sample, consisting of the genomes of many individual organisms.

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekμετᾰ́ (metắ)
  2. Ancient Greekμετᾰ- (metă-)
  3. Englishmeta-
  4. Englishgenome
  5. Englishmetagenome

From meta- + genome.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

metagenome. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/metagenome

MLA

“metagenome.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/metagenome. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “metagenome,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/metagenome.

Source: metagenome on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.