polycistronic

P3O1L1Y4C3I1S1T1R1O1N1I1C3

adjective

Encoding multiple different polypeptides.

OriginEnglish cistronic ← Ancient Greek πολῠ́ς (polŭ́s) ← Proto-Indo-European *polh₁ús →
Scrabble 22
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Meanings

adjectivepolycistronic (comparative more polycistronic, superlative most polycistronic)

comparative more polycistronic · superlative most polycistronic

  1. biologyEncoding multiple different polypeptides.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*pleh₁-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*polh₁ús
  3. Ancient Greekπολῠ́ς (polŭ́s)
  4. Englishpoly-
  5. Englishcistronic
  6. Englishpolycistronic

From poly- + cistronic.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

polycistronic. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/polycistronic

MLA

“polycistronic.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/polycistronic. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “polycistronic,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/polycistronic.

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