Ma'anar ƙamus na kalmar "Genetics" ita ce nazarin kimiyya game da gado da kuma bambancin halaye na gado tsakanin kwayoyin halitta, musamman game da DNA da kwayoyin halitta. Ya ƙunshi nazarin kwayoyin halitta, ayyukansu, da kuma yadda ake yaɗa su daga tsara zuwa na gaba. Hakanan kwayoyin halitta sun haɗa da nazarin cututtukan ƙwayoyin cuta da kuma hanyoyin da maye gurbi na iya haifar da cuta. A takaice dai, kwayoyin halitta shine nazarin kwayoyin halitta, bambancin kwayoyin halitta, da gadon halittu masu rai.