genesis

¹ American  

[jen-uh-sis] / ˈdʒɛn ə sɪs /

noun

plural

geneses

1. an origin, creation, or beginning.

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Genesis ² American  

[jen-uh-sis] / ˈdʒɛn ə sɪs /

noun

1. the first book of the Bible, dealing with the Creation and the Patriarchs. Gen.

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-genesis ³ American  

1. a combining form of genesis.

   parthenogenesis.

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-genesis ¹ British  

combining form

1. indicating genesis, development, or generation

   biogenesis

   parthenogenesis

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genesis ² British  

/ ˈdʒɛnɪsɪs /

noun

1. a beginning or origin of anything

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Genesis ³ British  

/ ˈdʒɛnɪsɪs /

noun

1. the first book of the Old Testament recounting the events from the Creation of the world to the sojourning of the Israelites in Egypt

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Genesis Cultural  

1. The first book of the Old Testament; its first words are “In the beginning” (genesis is a Greek word for “beginning”). It covers the time from the beginning of the world through the days of the patriarchs, including the stories of the Creation, Adam and Eve, the Fall of Man, Cain and Abel, Noah and the Flood, God's covenant with Abraham, Abraham and Isaac, Jacob and Esau, and Joseph and his brothers.

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Usage

What does -genesis mean? The combining form -genesis is used like a suffix meaning “genesis.” Genesis means "an origin, creation, or beginning." The form -genesis is often used in scientific terms, especially in biology. In particular, it describes the process of creation. The form -genesis comes from Greek génesis, meaning “origin” or “source,” source of the English word genesis. The Latin translation of -génesis is orīgō, which is the source of words such as aboriginal and origin. To learn more, check out our entries for both aboriginal and origin. What are variants of -genesis?While the form -genesis doesn't have any variants, it is related to the combining form -genetic, as in phylogenetic. The form -genesis is also closely related to the combining forms -gen, -geny, -genic, and -genous, as in pathogen, heterogeny, hallucinogenic, and heterogenous. Want to know more? Read our Words That Use articles for -genetic, -genic, -geny, -genic, and -genous.

Other Word Forms

• -genetic combining form
• Genesiac adjective
• Genesiacal adjective
• Genesitic adjective
• hypergenesis noun

Etymology

Origin of genesis¹

First recorded in 1595–1605; from Latin: “generation, birth,” from Greek génesis “origin, source”

Origin of Genesis²

First recorded before 1100; from Latin: literally “generation, creation,” from Greek Génesis, the Greek rendering of Hebrew bĕrēʾshith, the first word of the Biblical book, traditionally translated “in the beginning”; see genesis ( def. )

Explanation

When you talk about the genesis of something, you're talking about where it began. The genesis of hip-hop music was the party scene in New York City’s South Bronx in the 1970s. The Jewish Torah and the Christian Scriptures begin with the book of Genesis, which describes God separating light from darkness and creating the universe. Genesis is the very start of something, its birth. But you probably wouldn't refer to your own birth as a genesis. When you describe something as a genesis, you're usually referring to the beginning of a movement or an idea.

Example Sentences

James Whale’s 1935 freakquel, “Bride of Frankenstein,” imagined the companion briefly alive, sporting a white-streaked, electric-shocked bouffant before being killed by the Monster moments after her genesis.

From Salon • Mar. 8, 2026

Like his forthcoming seven-part project, “Quantum Leap,” the show is a walk-back to his genesis.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 25, 2026

Sustaining the momentum for disarmament, Reykjavik was the genesis of several crucial treaties that did indeed reduce nuclear weapons stockpiles.

From Slate • Feb. 2, 2026

Yes, Coogan was at the genesis of Posh and Becks.

From BBC • Jan. 4, 2026

The genesis of a human being was just a matter of adding water.

From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee

Related Words

• origin
• provenance