in genetics, the failure of one of a pair of genes (alleles) present in an individual to express itself in an observable manner because of the greater influence, or dominance, of its opposite-acting partner. Both alleles affect the same inherited characteristic, but the presence of the recessive gene cannot be determined by observation of the organism; i.e., although present in the organism's genotype, the recessive trait is not evident in its phenotype. The term recessive is applied both to the organism having the alleles of a gene pair in the recessive condition and to the allele whose effect can be masked by another allele of the same gene. See also dominance.