Haploid

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Haploid \Hap"loid\ (h[a^]p"loid), a. [NL., fr. Gr. "aplo`os
     simple.] (Biol.)
     having half the number of chromosomes normally present in
     somatic cells; having only one chromosome of each type, and
     therefore having only one complete set of genes; Contrasted
     with {diploid} and {polyploid}. See also {diploid}.


  
     Note: The germ cells of animals, the ovum and sperm cells,
           are haploid, whereas the somatic cells are diploid.
           Haploid variants of somatic cells may also be generated
           under certain conditions in the laboratory.
           [PJC]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  haploid
       adj : of a cell or organism having a single set of chromosomes
             [syn: {haploidic}, {monoploid}] [ant: {diploid}, {polyploid}]
       n : (genetics) an organism or cell having only one complete set
           of chromosomes