# pleiotropy

> English word · Noun · IPA /plaɪˈɒtɹəpi/

## Definitions
1. The influence of a single gene on multiple phenotypic traits; pleiotropism.
2. The existence of drug effects (especially beneficial effects) other than the one for which the drug was designed.

## Etymology
Coined by German zoologist Ludwig Plate in 1910, from Ancient Greek πλείων (pleíōn) + -tropy; by surface analysis, pleio- + -tropy.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/pleiotropy