chromatin

noun

chro·​ma·​tin ˈkrō-mə-tən How to pronounce chromatin (audio)
: a complex chiefly of DNA and histone in eukaryotic cells that is usually dispersed in the interphase nucleus and condensed into chromosomes in mitosis and meiosis and in which the nucleosome makes up its repeating subunits
In eukaryotes, the DNA interacts with the histone proteins to form a tightly packed superstructure known as chromatin.— Isao Tanaka et al.
see cell illustration compare euchromatin, heterochromatin, nucleosome
chromatinic
ˌkrō-mə-ˈti-nik How to pronounce chromatin (audio)
adjective

Examples of chromatin in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In fact, the hallmark of this cell death is that there’s very open chromatin, and then organelles, rather than waiting till the end of the death process to exhibit defects, right from the beginning tend to swell. — Steven Strogatz, Quanta Magazine, 5 Dec. 2024 And number two, my first scientific paper in my own career was about applying math to the structure of the chromatin fiber. — Steven Strogatz, Quanta Magazine, 5 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from German Chromatin "dense part of the cell nucleus that is easily stained," from Greek chrōmat-, chrôma "color" + German -in -in entry 1

Note: Term introduced by German biologist Walther Flemming (1843-1905) in "Beiträge zur Kenntnis der Zelle und ihrer Lebenserscheinungen, Theil II," Archiv für mikroskopische Anatomie, Band 18 (1880), pp. 157-58.

First Known Use

1882, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of chromatin was in 1882

Phrases Containing chromatin

Rhymes for chromatin

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chromatin
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Cite this Entry

“Chromatin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chromatin. Accessed 22 Mar. 2025.

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Kids Definition

chromatin

noun
chro·​ma·​tin ˈkrō-mə-tən How to pronounce chromatin (audio)
: a material present in chromosomes that is made up of DNA and protein and stains deeply with certain biological stains

Medical Definition

chromatin

noun
chro·​ma·​tin ˈkrō-mət-ən How to pronounce chromatin (audio)
: a complex of a nucleic acid with basic proteins (as histone) in eukaryotic cells that is usually dispersed in the interphase nucleus and condensed into chromosomes in mitosis and meiosis
chromatinic
ˌkrō-mə-ˈtin-ik How to pronounce chromatin (audio)
adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on chromatin

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about chromatin

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