Word of the Day — April 29, 2026

paralog

/par-AL-og/nounPush me

Definition

A gene's twin sibling created when one ancestral gene duplicates and evolves separately.

either of a pair of genes that derive from the same ancestral gene

Memory Hook

Para- means 'beside,' so paralogs are genes sitting side-by-side in evolutionary history, born from the same ancestor but now doing their own thing.