trigenic, a.
(traɪˈdʒɛnɪk)
[app. f. tri- 5 b + Gr. γένος kind + -ic: the acid was so named by Liebig and Wöhler, 1846, regarding it as the product of three kinds of substances, cyanic acid, aldehyde, and ammonia.]
1. Chem. In trigenic acid, NH:2(CO.NH):CH.CH3, also called ethylidene (or ethidene) biuret, as being biuret, NH:2(CO.NH2), in which two atoms of H are replaced by ethylidene, CH.CH3; it crystallizes in small prisms, slightly soluble in water.
| 1868 Watts Dict. Chem. V. 883. 1882 Jrnl. Chem. Soc. XLII. 168. |
2. Genetics. [Cf. genic a.] Involving or controlled by three genes.
| 1941 [see polygenic a. 3]. 1979 Experientia XXXV. 172/2 The trigenic ratios have been reported here for the first time for the above-mentioned characters. |