genetic

B1 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /d͡ʒəˈnɛt.ɪk/ See IPA manual

Freq #5133

Meanings

1

adj
Relating to genes or to the genes you inherit from your parents.

Eye color is determined by genetic factors.
2

adj
Relating to genetics, the science of how characteristics are passed on.

The lab is doing important genetic research on rare diseases.
3

adj
Passed from parents to children within a family; inherited.

Heart disease can be genetic, so doctors ask about your family history.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · relating to genes or to the... genic

2 adj · relating to genetics, the... genetical

3 adj · passed from parents to... transmissible

More genealogical hereditary

Word family

Derived forms ageneticallogeneticandrogeneticantigeneticarchaeogeneticautogeneticbiogeneticblastogeneticcarcinogeneticchemogeneticco-geneticcogenetic

Related forms gene genetically genetics

Appears in

Phrases (4)

See all

Simplified etymology

Genetic entered English in the mid-18th century meaning “arising from a common origin.” It was formed from genesis, “creation,” on the model of pairs such as antithesis and antithetic.

Etymology

Coined from genesis, similarly to antithesis, antithetic. Reflects Ancient Greek γενετικός (genetikós), from γένεσις (génesis) + -κός (-kós). Ultimately from Ancient Greek γίγνομαι (gígnomai, “I come into being”). By surface analysis, gene + -tic or gen(esis) + -etic.

*ǵenh₁- Proto-Indo-European γενετικός Ancient Greek γίγνομαι Ancient Greek

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities Biology & Genetics Register & Style

External links

# genetic

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B1
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /d͡ʒəˈnɛt.ɪk/
**Frequency rank:** 5133

## Meanings
1. Relating to genes or to the genes you inherit from your parents.
2. Relating to genetics, the science of how characteristics are passed on.
3. Passed from parents to children within a family; inherited.

## Examples
- Eye color is determined by genetic factors.
- The lab is doing important genetic research on rare diseases.
- Heart disease can be genetic, so doctors ask about your family history.

## Synonyms
- genealogical
- genic
- hereditary

## Derived Forms
- agenetic
- allogenetic
- androgenetic
- antigenetic
- archaeogenetic
- autogenetic
- biogenetic
- blastogenetic
- carcinogenetic
- chemogenetic
- co-genetic
- cogenetic

## Related Forms
- gene
- genetically
- genetics

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *ǵenh₁-
- Root: γενετικός
- Root: γίγνομαι

## Etymology
Coined from genesis, similarly to antithesis, antithetic. Reflects Ancient Greek γενετικός (genetikós), from γένεσις (génesis) + -κός (-kós). Ultimately from Ancient Greek γίγνομαι (gígnomai, “I come into being”). By surface analysis, gene + -tic or gen(esis) + -etic.

## AI Etymology
Genetic was coined from genesis, similarly to antithesis, antithetic. Reflects Ancient Greek γενετικός (genetikós), from γένεσις (génesis) + -κός (-kós). Ultimately from Ancient Greek γίγνομαι (gígnomai, “I come into being”). By surface analysis, gene + -tic or gen(esis) + -etic. In current use, the main senses are “Relating to genes or to the genes you inherit from your parents” and “Relating to genetics, the science of how characteristics are passed on”.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Biology & Genetics
- Register & Style

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