What term describes the inheritance of a trait controlled by genes at several different loci?

Polygenic inheritance describes a trait controlled by genes at several different loci.

In polygenic traits, many genes each contribute an effect, often a small one, to the observed phenotype. Environmental influences can also affect the final result. Human height, skin pigmentation, and susceptibility to many common diseases are commonly discussed as traits with substantial polygenic components.

Because numerous genetic and environmental factors are involved, polygenic traits often show continuous variation rather than a few sharply separated categories. This differs from a simple single-gene pattern in which one locus has a large, easily tracked effect.

Polygenic does not mean that every gene has an equal influence, nor does it mean the trait is determined only by DNA. Genome-wide association studies can identify many associated loci, but association alone does not prove that each locus directly causes the phenotype.