generation

The word “generation” means all the people born and living at around the same time, seen as a group. In plain terms, a group of people born around the same time, a step in a family tree, or the act of producing something.

“Generation” is pronounced jeh-nuh-RAY-shuhn (/ˌd͡ʒɛnəˈɹeɪʃən/ in IPA).

Here is “generation” used in a sentence: “Her generation grew up without smartphones.”

“Generation” is a noun.

The word “generation” comes from Latin. From Latin generatio ("a begetting, producing"), from generare ("to beget, produce").

“Generation” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.

“Generation” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: all the people born and living at around the same time, seen as a group.

A generation is usually estimated at about 20 to 30 years — roughly the time it takes for people to grow up and have children of their own. Demographers often use 25 to 30 years as a working figure. The named generations, like Millennials, typically span around 15 to 20 birth years each.

Commonly named generations include the Silent Generation, Baby Boomers, Generation X, Millennials (Generation Y), Generation Z, and Generation Alpha. Each covers people born within a particular range of years and shaped by shared events and technology. The exact cut-off dates vary slightly depending on the source.

An age group is simply people of similar age at this moment, like everyone in their thirties. A generation is a cohort born around the same time and viewed as a group across their whole lives, shaped by shared experiences. Age groups shift as people age; a generation keeps its identity throughout.