Even though a female may have the gene for blue eyes in her chromosomes, it is possible that she may actually have brown eyes because this particular characteristic is recessive. Instances like these most clearly demonstrate the distinction between:

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The phenotype refers to the observable traits, such as eye color, while the genotype refers to the genetic makeup. A person can have a genotype for blue eyes (recessive) but a phenotype of brown eyes if the brown eye gene (dominant) is also present.

Even Though a Female May Have the Gene for Blue