genuinely
Americanadverb
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of genuinely
Explanation
The adverb genuinely describes something done in a way that's real and true. If your friend is genuinely thrilled about your plan to backpack across China next summer, she means it. When you say something genuinely, you're honest. If you're genuinely worried about your friend getting hurt on her motorcycle, you'll beg her to wear a helmet. One theory about the origin of genuinely is that it comes from the Latin word for "knee," genu, referencing a custom of a father acknowledging his paternity by holding his baby on his knee.
Vocabulary lists containing genuinely
A Monster Calls
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Copper Sun
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"The Hunger Games" Vocabulary from Chapter 3
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The new results strengthen the case that at least some of the material is genuinely associated with the original fossilized bone.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 14, 2026
You have substantial assets available to you if you genuinely need cash.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 13, 2026
The encouraging message is that the amount linked to a longer life is genuinely achievable.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 10, 2026
"All I wanted was for her to genuinely settle down and live with us," he told us.
From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026
Nok was genuinely homesick, a useless thing to be in her situation.
From "A Wish in the Dark" by Christina Soontornvat
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
