: being or produced by a form of a gene whose effect can be hidden by a dominant gene and which can produce a noticeable effect only when two copies of the gene are present Blue eye color is a recessive trait.

What does it mean if someone is recessive?

​Recessive

Recessive is a quality found in the relationship between two versions of a gene. Individuals receive one version of a gene, called an allele, from each parent. If the alleles are different, the dominant allele will be expressed, while the effect of the other allele, called recessive, is masked.

What does recessive mean in genetics?

Refers to a trait that is expressed only when genotype is homozygous; a trait that tends to be masked by other inherited traits, yet persists in a population among heterozygous genotypes. © Nature Education.