What is meant by the term "phenotype"?

The term "phenotype" specifically refers to the observable characteristics or traits of an organism. This includes attributes such as physical appearance, behavior, biochemical properties, and other measurable features that result from the interaction between the organism's genetic makeup (genotype) and its environment. While the genetic makeup determines the potential traits, the phenotype is what is actually expressed and can be seen or measured.

In this context, the other options describe different concepts. The genetic makeup pertains to the set of genes that an individual carries, which is more related to the genotype. Adaptability to the environment discusses how well an organism can adjust to external conditions, which is influenced by both genotype and phenotype but is not the definition of phenotype itself. Lastly, the potential for variation in genetic traits refers to the diversity of traits that can arise from genetic variation and environmental influences but does not capture the direct definition of observable characteristics. Thus, focusing on what an organism expresses in terms of traits clarifies the meaning of "phenotype."