microchimerism

M3I1C3R1O1C3H4I1M3E1R1I1S1M3

noun

The presence of a small number of cells in an organism that are genetically different from those of the organism itself; typically transmitted between a mother and fetus

OriginEnglish chimerism ← Ancient Greek μῑκρο- (mīkro-) ← Proto-Indo-European *mey-der.? →
Scrabble 27
Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

nounmicrochimerism (usually uncountable, plural microchimerisms)

plural microchimerisms

  1. uncountableusuallybiologyThe presence of a small number of cells in an organism that are genetically different from those of the organism itself; typically transmitted between a mother and fetus

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*mey-der.?
  2. Ancient Greekμῑκρός (mīkrós)
  3. Ancient Greekμῑκρο- (mīkro-)
  4. Englishmicro-
  5. Englishchimera
  6. Englishchimerism
  7. Englishmicrochimerism

From micro- + chimerism.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

microchimerism. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/microchimerism

MLA

“microchimerism.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/microchimerism. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “microchimerism,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/microchimerism.

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