¦ noun
1. Biology an organism or cell, or a group of organisms or cells, produced asexually from one ancestor to which they are genetically identical.
2. a person or thing regarded as an exact copy of another.
3. informal (within gay culture) a homosexual man who adopts an exaggeratedly macho appearance.
¦ verb
1. propagate (an organism or cell) as a clone.
Biochemistry replicate (a fragment of DNA placed in an organism).
2. make an identical copy of.
3. illegally copy the security codes from (a mobile phone) to others as a way of obtaining free calls.
Derivatives
clonal adjective
clonality noun
cloner noun
Origin
early 20th cent.: from Gk klon 'twig'.