An organism's genetic makeup is referred to as what?

The term that describes an organism's genetic makeup is "genotype." This encompasses the specific set of genes inherited from the organism's parents and determines various biological traits and functions. The genotype provides the underlying genetic framework that interacts with environmental factors to produce observable characteristics.

To clarify the context of the other options: "phenotype" refers to the observable traits and characteristics of an organism resulting from the interaction of the genotype with the environment. "Allele" denotes a specific variant of a gene that can exist at a particular locus on a chromosome, while a "trait" refers to a specific characteristic or feature that can be influenced by the genotype and environmental factors. Thus, the genotype serves as the foundation for understanding how these other terms relate to biological characteristics.