Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Having two equal arms because of the median position of the centromere: Used to describe a chromosome where the centromere is located at or near the middle, resulting in two arms of approximately equal length.
   • Of or relating to the metacenter: Pertaining to the point of intersection between a vertical line through the center of buoyancy of a floating body and a vertical line through its new center of buoyancy when the body is tilted.

Usage Examples

• Adjective (Genetics):
  • Human chromosomes 1 and 3 are metacentric.
  • The karyotype showed several metacentric chromosomes.
• Adjective (Naval Architecture/Physics):
  • The metacentric height is a crucial measure of a ship's initial stability.
  • Engineers calculated the vessel's metacentric radius.

Advanced Usage

• "Metacentric height": In naval architecture, the distance between the center of gravity of a floating body and its metacenter. A positive metacentric height indicates stability.
  • A large metacentric height makes a ship stiffer but less comfortable in rough seas.
• "Metacentric chromosome": In cytogenetics, a standard classification for chromosome morphology.
  • In the Denver system, group A chromosomes are metacentric.

Variants and Related Words

• Metacenter (noun): The theoretical point in naval architecture and fluid mechanics.
  • The stability depends on the position of the metacenter.
• Submetacentric (adjective): Describing a chromosome where the centromere is located nearer one end than the middle, resulting in arms of unequal length.
  • Human chromosome 4 is a submetacentric chromosome.

Synonyms

• Median (in the context of centromere position).
• Equi-armed (descriptive synonym for chromosome shape).

Related Phrases

• Metacentric stability: The stability condition of a floating body determined by the relative positions of the center of gravity and the metacenter.
  • The ferry's design prioritized metacentric stability.

Adjective

1. having two equal arms because of the median position of the centromere
   • a metacentric chromosome
2. of or relating to the metacenter