- the transmission of genetic characters from parents to offspring: it is dependent upon the segregation and recombination of genes during meiosis and fertilization and results in the genesis of a new individual similar to others of its kind but exhibiting certain variations resulting from the particular mix of genes and their interactions with the environment.
- the genetic characters so transmitted.
- the transmission from one generation to another of genetic factors that determine individual characteristics: responsible for the resemblances between parents and offspring
- the sum total of the inherited factors or their characteristics in an organism
