English Dictionary — Definitions & Meanings

genic

adj

(biology) Relating to, caused by, or being a gene.

genie

noun

A supernatural spirit in Arabic and Islamic folklore, often invisible, capable of taking human or animal form.

genii

noun

Plural of genius, referring to guardian spirits in Roman belief.

genipap

noun

A tree, Genipa americana, that grows naturally in North and South America.

genital

adj

Relating to the sex organs or to reproduction.

genitalia

noun

The external and internal sex organs, considered together.

genitals

noun

The external sex organs; another word for genitalia.

genitive

adj

(grammar) Describing the case of a word that shows where something comes from or who owns it, marked by word endings in languages like Latin, and usually shown by word order or 'of'/apostrophe-s in English.

genitor

noun

A biological mother or father, or whatever directly produces an offspring.

genius

noun

A person with exceptional intelligence, talent, or creative ability.

genki

noun

(informal) A lively, energetic and playful girl.

Gennaro

name

An Italian surname.

genny

noun

(informal, chiefly British/Irish) Short for generator, a machine that produces electricity.

geno

noun

(informal, video games) Short for genocide, especially referring to eliminating every enemy or monster in a game.

Genoa

name

A major port city in northwestern Italy, capital of the Liguria region.

genocide

noun

The deliberate, large-scale killing of people from a particular ethnic, national, or religious group with the intent to destroy it.

genoese

noun

A person from the city of Genoa or the surrounding Ligurian region of Italy.

genome

noun

The complete set of genetic material of an organism.

genotype

noun

(biology) The section of DNA in a living thing that decides one of its particular features.

Genovese

adj

Relating to Genoa or its people.

genre

noun

A category of artistic work, especially literature, music, or film, defined by a shared style or subject matter.

gent

noun

(informal) A man, especially one who is polite or well-mannered; short for gentleman.

genteel

adj

Polite, refined, and well-mannered, sometimes to an exaggerated or old-fashioned degree.

gentile

adj

Not Jewish.

gentility

noun

The condition of being refined, genteel, well-bred, or socially superior.

gentle

adj

Kind, mild, and careful, especially in dealing with others.

gentlelady

noun

A form of address for a woman. Also a reference to a female member of a legislature.

gentleman

noun

A polite, well-mannered, or honorable man.

gentlemanliness

noun

The quality of behaving like a gentleman.

gentlemanly

adj

Behaving with the courtesy and manners expected of a gentleman.

gentleness

noun

A soft, mild, and considerate manner or nature.

gentlewoman

noun

A woman from a noble or high-ranking family.

gently

adv

Softly or lightly, without force or roughness.

gentrification

noun

The process by which a poorer urban area changes as wealthier residents and businesses move in, property prices rise and long-standing residents are gradually priced out.

gentry

noun

People of high social standing and good breeding, especially landowners ranked just below the nobility.

gents

noun

A men's public toilet.

genu

noun

A knee-like structure, in particular a bend in the corpus callosum of mammals.

genuflect

verb

To bend the knee, as a sign of submission.

genuine

adj

Real and authentic, not fake or imitation.

genuinely

adv

In a truly sincere or authentic way.

genuineness

noun

The quality of being real and true; authenticity.

genus

noun

A biological classification rank grouping closely related species, sitting below family and above species.

geo

noun

A narrow inlet or gully cut into a sea cliff, especially in Scotland.

geodesy

noun

The scientific discipline concerned with measuring and describing the Earth's shape, its gravitational field, and changes such as polar motion, tides and crustal movement.

Geoff

name

A short, informal form of the male name Geoffrey.

Geoffrey

name

A male given name of Germanic origin, especially popular in Britain during the 20th century.

geoglyph

noun

A large design or image made on the ground, often by arranging stones or scratching the earth, that is usually only clearly visible from a distance or from the air.

geographer

noun

A person who is a specialist in geography.

geographic

adj

Relating to geography, or to the physical features and location of places.

geographical

adj

Relating to geography; an alternative form of geographic.

geographically

adv

In terms of location or physical geography.

geography

noun

The study of the earth's physical features and how people interact with them.

geoid

noun

The theoretical shape the Earth's oceans would take if shaped only by gravity and rotation, ignoring winds, tides and other forces.

geolocate

verb

To work out the exact map location of a person, object or event, using GPS or similar data.

geologic

adj

Relating to geology, or to the vast timescale used to measure the Earth's history.

geological

adj

Relating to geology, or to the physical structure and history of rock formations.

geologist

noun

A scientist who studies the structure, history, and processes of the earth.

geology

noun

The scientific study of the earth's structure, materials, and history, especially through its rocks.

geometer

noun

A mathematician whose main area of study is geometry.

geometric

adj

Relating to geometry, or made up of simple shapes like circles, triangles, and lines.

geometrical

adj

Relating to geometry; geometric in form.

geometrically

adv

In a way that involves geometry.

geometry

noun

The branch of mathematics concerned with points, lines, shapes, and space.

geomorphology

noun

The scientific study of landforms, covering how they are classified, how they form and how they change over time.

geophysics

noun

The science of the physical processes that shape and act on the Earth and its surroundings.

geopolitics

noun

The study of how geography, especially economic geography, shapes politics and the relations between countries.

Geordie

name

A nickname for someone named George, or informally for Georgia, Georgiana, Georgette, or Georgina.

Georg

name

A Scandinavian and German form of the male name George.

George

name

A common male given name of ancient Greek origin, meaning "farmer" or "earth-worker."

Georges

name

A French male given name equivalent to English George.

georgeson

name

An English and Scottish surname that began as a patronymic.

Georgetown

name

The capital city of Guyana, named after King George III.

georgette

noun

A lightweight, slightly crinkled silk or synthetic fabric with a dull finish.

Georgi

name

A German surname.

Georgia

name

A country in the Caucasus region between Europe and Asia, on the Black Sea, with Tbilisi as its capital.

Georgian

adj

Relating to the country of Georgia, its people, or its language.

Georgiana

name

A female given name derived from George.

Georgie

name

A diminutive nickname for George or Georgina.

Georgina

name

A female given name derived from George, of ancient Greek origin.

Georgy

name

A diminutive nickname for George.

geothermal

adj

Relating to heat that comes from deep inside the earth.

Geppetto

name

The fictional woodcarver in Carlo Collodi's story who creates the puppet Pinocchio.

ger

noun

A traditional Mongolian round tent, also known as a yurt.

Gerald

name

A male given name of Germanic origin, meaning roughly "spear-rule."

Geraldine

name

A female given name derived from Gerald.

Geraldo

name

A Portuguese and Spanish surname.

geraniol

noun

A monoterpenoid alcohol occurring in the essential oils obtained from rose, palmarosa and citronella.

geranium

noun

A garden plant, often with pink, red, or white flowers, commonly grown in pots and borders.

Gerard

name

A male given name of Germanic origin, meaning roughly "brave with the spear."

Gerber

name

A surname of German origin.

gerbil

noun

A small, jumping, mouse-like rodent, often kept as a pet, native to Africa and parts of Asia and Europe.

gerbille

noun

A dated spelling of gerbil.

Gerda

name

A female first name from Scandinavian roots, briefly popular in English around the turn of the 20th century.

Gere

name

A surname with separate German, English, and Hungarian origins.

Gerhardt

name

A surname of German origin.

Geri

name

A short, friendly form of the female name Geraldine, also used on its own as a full first name.

geriatric

adj

Relating to elderly people or to the medical care of old age.

germ

noun

A microorganism, especially one that causes disease, such as a bacterium or virus.

Germain

name

A male first name from French, also used as a surname.

Germaine

name

A female first name from Latin roots, popular partly through modern French usage.

German

noun

A native or citizen of Germany.

germane

adj

Closely connected to the subject being discussed.

germania

name

An ancient Roman name for a cultural region that describes the lands of Central Europe where Germanic peoples lived.

Germanic

adj

Relating to the Germanic peoples, such as Germans, Scandinavians, or Anglo-Saxons, or to their family of languages.

germanish

adj

Somewhat like German, in style or character.

germanium

noun

A non-metallic chemical element (symbol Ge, atomic number 32): a shiny, hard yet brittle, grey-white metalloid belonging to the carbon group.

Germany

name

A country in Central Europe; official name Federal Republic of Germany, capital Berlin.

germen

noun

The basic form of an organism; the seed or germ.

germicide

noun

A substance that destroys disease-causing germs; a disinfectant.

germinal

adj

Connected with the season of spring.

germinate

verb

For a seed, to start growing and send out roots and leaves.

germination

noun

The process of germinating: the point at which a seed or spore begins to grow, or the earliest development of an animal or plant germ.

germinative

adj

Relating to germination.

germline

noun

The cells in a body that carry genetic material passed on to offspring, forming eggs or sperm.

geronimo

intj

A shout made just before leaping — off a diving board, out of a plane, into water — popularised by paratroopers.

gerontocracy

noun

Government by elders, or by elderly rulers.

gerontologic

adj

Relating to gerontology, the study of old age and ageing; another word for gerontological.

gerontological

adj

Relating to gerontology.

Gerrard

name

A surname, and less commonly a male first name, from Germanic roots.

Gerry

name

A casual short form of the male names Gerald or Gerard, or the female name Geraldine.

gerrymandering

noun

The practice of drawing the boundaries of voting districts in a deliberately lopsided way so that one party or group wins more seats than its share of the vote would justify.

Gershwin

name

A surname, best known from the American composer George Gershwin.

Gerson

name

A surname found in several European and Jewish family traditions.

gert

adj

(regional British dialect, especially West Country) Big or great in size.

Gertie

name

A warm, informal short form of the name Gertrude.

Gertrude

name

A female first name with old Germanic roots.

gerund

noun

In English grammar, an -ing form of a verb that works as a noun, as in 'swimming is good exercise' or 'she avoids driving at night'.

Gervais

name

A French surname.

Gervase

name

A male first name from Germanic roots, common in medieval times but rare today.

geshmak

intj

Used to show that something is very tasty.

gestalt

noun

An organised whole that is perceived as more than simply the sum of its parts.

Gestapo

name

The secret state police of Nazi Germany, notorious for surveillance, terror, and persecution.

gestate

verb

To carry a baby or young animal in the womb until birth.

gestation

noun

The period during which an unborn baby or animal develops inside the mother before birth.

gesticulate

verb

To make gestures or motions, as in speaking.

gesture

noun

A movement of the hands, arms, or body used to express or emphasise a meaning.

gesundheit

intj

Said to someone right after they sneeze, wishing them good health.

get

verb

To come to have or receive something; to obtain.

get together

phrasal verb

To meet with someone socially, usually informally and by arrangement.

geta

noun

A traditional Japanese wooden sandal raised on two supports, traditionally worn with a kimono.

getaway

noun

An escape, especially a quick one after a crime.

getcha

contraction

A shortened form of 'get you'.

getter

noun

A person or thing that gets something.

getting

noun

The act of obtaining or acquiring something.

Getty

name

A surname, notably associated with the wealthy Getty family and oil magnate J. Paul Getty.

Gettysburg

name

A town in Pennsylvania, site of a pivotal 1863 Civil War battle and Abraham Lincoln's famous address.

getup

noun

An outfit, especially one that looks unusual or over the top.

geum

noun

Any plant of the genus Geum, a group of perennial flowering herbs also known as avens.

gewgaw

noun

A flashy, worthless item or plaything; a gaudy trinket, ornament or decorative piece.

geyser

noun

A hot spring that periodically shoots a column of water and steam into the air.