n.
- Biology an organism or cell, or a group of organisms or cells, produced asexually from one ancestor to which they are genetically identical.
- a person or thing regarded as an exact copy of another.
- informal (within gay culture) a homosexual man who adopts an exaggeratedly macho appearance.
v.
- propagate (an organism or cell) as a clone.
▸Biochemistry replicate (a fragment of DNA placed in an organism).
- make an identical copy of.
- illegally copy the security codes from (a mobile phone) to others as a way of obtaining free calls.
Derivative
- clonal adj.
- clonality n.
- cloner n.
Etymology
early 20th cent.: from Gk klōn ‘twig’.
