Glossary
Terms starting with C
678 definitions · page 5 of 12.
- Chinois
- A fine metal conical strainer with a long handle, used for straining soups and sauces to give them a professional sheen and finish, as well as sorting out any lumps! It has a finer mesh than a standard sieve.
- Chipotle
- A mild, dried chilli with a deep smoky flavour, commonly used in Mexican cooking and in the cooking of the American south-west. It's frequently used in commercially produced chilli sauces.
- chloroplast
- The organelle that carries out photosynthesis and starch grain formation. A chlorophyll-containing organelle in plants that is the site of photosynthesis.
- chondrite
- a stony meteorite containing small, round, silicate granules called chondrules
- chorale
- (1) A German hymn, especially popular in the Baroque; (2) a polyphonic setting of such a hymn, such as those by J. S. Bach.
- chord
- A group of three or more pitches sounded simultaneously.
- chordal style
- An alternate term for homophony. chorus (1) Same as choir; (2) each varied repetition of a 12-bar blues pattern; (3) the principal section of an American popular song, following the verse(s).
- Chorizo
- A spicy Spanish sausage with new-found popularity. Pronounced 'chor-eetho', it's made all over Spain, as well as in Portugal, where it's spelled 'chouriço'. There are lots of regional varieties but all are made with pork and flavoured with pimentón (smoked…
- Choux pastry
- A very light, double-cooked pastry usually used for sweets and buns. It's made with plain flour, salt, butter, eggs, milk and a little sugar (if it's being used for a sweet dish). It's used to make profiteroles, eclairs and choux puffs and is the basis of…
- Chowder
- A thick, chunky seafood soup from North America, of which clam chowder is the best known. The word chowder comes from the French 'chaudière' - a heavy, three-legged iron cauldron in which fishermen made stews fresh from their day's catch. Chowder is believed…
- chromatic
- A descriptive term for melodies or harmonies that use all or most of the twelve degrees of the octave.
- chromatic scale
- The pattern that results when all twelve adjacent semitones in an octave are played successively.
- chromatid
- One of the two side by side replicas produced by chromosome replication in mitosis or meiosis. Subunit of a chromosome after replication and prior to anaphase of meiosis II or mitosis. At anaphase of meiosis II or mitosis when the centromeres divide and the…
- chromatid conversion
- Gene conversion that is inferred from the existence of identical sister-spore pairs in a fungal octad that shows a non-Mendelian allele ratio.
- chromatid interference
- A situation in which the occurrence of a crossover between any two nonsister chromatids can be shown to affect the probability of those chromatids being involved in other crossovers in the same meiosis.
- chromatin
- The substance of chromosomes; now known to include DNA, chromosomal proteins, and chromosomal RNA. The nucleoprotein material of the eukaryotic chromosome.
- chromocenter
- The point at which polytene chromosomes appear to be attached together.
- chromomere
- A small beadlike structure visible on a chromosome during prophase of meiosis and mitosis. Dark regions of chromatin condensation in eukaryotic chromosomes at meiosis or mitosis.
- chromosome
- A linear end-to-end arrangement of genes and other DNA, sometimes with associated protein and RNA. The form of the genetic material in viruses and cells. A circle of DNA in prokaryotes; a DNA or an RNA molecule in viruses; a linear nucleoprotein complex in…
- chromosome aberration
- Any type of change in the chromosome structure or number.
- chromosome jumping
- A technique of isolating clones from a genomic library that are not contiguous by skipping a region between known points on the chromosome. Done usually to bypass regions that are difficult or impossible to walk through or regions known not to be of interest.
- chromosome loss
- Failure of a chromosome to become incorporated into a daughter nucleus at cell division.
- chromosome marker
- Any distinct and heritable feature of chromosome structure that can be used to follow (usually by microscopy) that chromosome or chromosome region in breeding experiments.
- chromosome mutation
- Any type of change in the chromosome structure or number.
- chromosome painting
- The use of fluorescent-tagged chromosome-specific dispersed repeat DNA sequences to visualize specific chromosomes or chromosome segments by in situ DNA hybridization and fluorescence microscopy.
- chromosome puff
- A swelling at a site along the length of a polytene chromosome; the site of active transcription. A diffuse uncoiled region in a polytene chromosome where transcription is actively taking place.
- chromosome rearrangement
- A chromosome mutation involving new juxtapositions of chromosome parts.
- chromosome set
- The group of different chromosomes that carries the basic set of genetic information for a particular species.
- chromosome theory of inheritance
- The theory that chromosomes are linear sequences of genes. The unifying theory stating that inheritance patterns may be generally explained by assuming that genes are located in specific sites on chromosomes.
- chromosome walking
- A technique which produces sets of overlapping DNA clones for studying segments of DNA larger than can be cloned individually. A method for the analysis of large regions of DNA, in which a each end of a large single cloned DNA fragment is used separately to…
- chromosphere
- a layer in a star’s atmosphere lying below the corona and above the photosphere
- Chuck and blade
- This is a cut of beef from the shoulder. Because it's a part that has worked hard during the animal's life, this is one of the tougher cuts. Although it's less expensive and has lots of flavour, it needs long, gentle cooking. Ideal for casseroles and stews.
- Chump
- A cut of either lamb or pork taken from the lower back. Sold as chops, or with the bone removed as steaks, it's ideal for grilling and barbecues but also delicious if baked slowly in the oven.
- Chutney
- From the Hindi word 'chatni' meaning strong spices, chutney is a preserved or fresh relish made from fruit or vegetables with vinegar, sugar, herbs and spices. British-style chutneys tend to be preserved by being cooked and are usually quite sweet, whereas…
- Ciabatta
- Ciabatta means 'slipper' in Italian and describes the appearance of this oval, flattish yeast bread with an open texture and a crisp, floury crust. It's flavoured with olive oil and is often used as the base for bruschetta. Slice it at an angle and serve…
- CICS
- Customer Information Control System. A general purpose IBM mainframe-based transaction management system. CICS is one of IBM's most widely used database / data communications subsystems.
- Cinnamon
- This warm, sweet spice comes from the bark of a tree native to Sri Lanka. The bark is removed, dried and rolled up to make a tube. Cinnamon is sold dry as sticks and as a powder. You can try to grind your own cinnamon from the bark but it's difficult to get…
- CIRCUIT
- One complete run of a set of electric conductors from a power source to various electrical devices (appliances, lights, etc.) and back to the same power source.
- circular permutation
- Some phages with linear genomes (eg T2) are both terminally redundant and circularly permuted. If the genetic information is represented by ABCDEFGH then a circular permutation would generate molecules ABCDEFGH BCDEFGHA CDEFGHAB DEFGHABC EFGHABCD and so on.
- circumpolar
- Circumpolar stars are permanently above the horizon from a given observing point on Earth; that is to say, they never set. At Earth's Geographical North Pole (90° north latitude), all stars in the sky are cirumpolar. On Earth's equator, no stars are…
- cis
- Meaning on the near side of; refers to geometric configurations of atoms or mutations on the same molecule or chromosome.
- cis conformation
- In a heterozygote involving two mutant sites (a,b) within a gene or within a gene cluster, the arrangement ab/AB.
- cis dominance
- The ability of a gene to affect genes next to it on the same chromosome.
- cis-dominant
- mutations (eg of an operator) that alter the functioning of genes on that same piece of DNA.
- cis-trans complementation test
- A mating test to determine whether two different recessive mutations (a1;a2) on opposite chromosomes (trans, a1+/+a2) of a diploid or partial diploid will not complement (ie have a mutant phenotype) each other; but the same two recessive mutations on the…
- cistron
- Term coined by Benzer for the smallest genetic unit that does NOT show genetic complementation when two different mutations are in trans during a cis-trans complementation test; but shows wild-type phenotype when the same mutations are in cis. Synonymous…
- Citric Acid
- The same as vitamin C. Used commonly in hair and skincare products. Has astringent and antioxidant properties and also can be used as a preservative.
- Citronella Oil
- Antiseptic widely used in soaps and deodorizers. Also has insect-repelling properties.
- CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1866
- An act that prohibits racial discrimination in the sale and rental of housing.
- cladogenesis
- The evolutionary process whereby one species splits into two or more species. See anagenesis.
- CLAIMS-MADE POLICY
- A form of insurance that pays claims presented to the insurer during the term of the policy or within a specific term after its expiration. It limits liability insurers’ exposure to unknown future liabilities. (See Occurrence policy)
- Clarified butter
- This is butter that has had the water, milk solids and salt removed. Butter browns and burns at lower temperatures than many other fats do, but by clarifying it you leave pure butter fat which is more stable and can be cooked at a higher temperature…
- Clarifying
- Usually associated with a toner or other solution used after cleansing to maintain proper skin pH.
- Clasp
- Any type of attachment that connects two ends of a piece of jewellery.
- Class
- A relative term that implies one horse is superior to another.
- ClB method
- A technique devised by Muller to rapidly screen fruit flies for recessive X chromosome lethal mutations. The ClB chromosome carries a recessive lethal (l) a dominant marker (B) and an inversion (crossover suppressor C).
- CLEAN FUEL VEHICLE
- is frequently incorrectly used interchangeably with "alternative fuel vehicle." Generally, refers to vehicles that use low-emission, clean-burning fuels. Public Resources Code Section 25326 defines clean fuels, for purposes of the section only, as fuels…
- CLEC
- Competitive Local Exchange Company. Any company certificated by the Commission to provide local exchange telecommunications service in Florida on or after July 1, 1995.
- clef
- In musical notation, a symbol at the beginning of a staff that determines the pitches of the lines and spaces. The most common clefs are treble (4) for indicating pitches mostly above middle C and bass (9;) for indicating pitches mostly below middle C.
- CLERESTORY
- A wall with windows that is between two different (roof) levels. The windows are used to provide natural light into a building.