What is meant by the term "carrier" in genetics?

In genetics, the term "carrier" refers to an individual who possesses one recessive allele for a given trait while not displaying any visible symptoms of that trait. This means that the individual has one gene variant that could potentially lead to a recessive condition if paired with another recessive allele from another parent. However, because they also have a dominant allele that masks the expression of the recessive trait, they do not show any symptoms or characteristics associated with that recessive trait.

Understanding the carrier status is important, especially in the context of hereditary conditions, as carriers can pass the recessive allele onto their offspring. If two carriers have children, there is a possibility that their children may inherit the recessive alleles from both parents, resulting in the expression of the recessive trait.