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Synonyms

genial

1 American  
[jeen-yuhl, jee-nee-uhl] / ˈdʒin yəl, ˈdʒi ni əl /

adjective

  1. warmly and pleasantly cheerful; cordial.

    a genial disposition;

    a genial host.
    Synonyms:
    agreeable, pleasant, hearty, friendly

  2. favorable for life, growth, or comfort; pleasantly warm; comfortably mild.

    the genial climate of Hawaii.

  3. characterized by genius.

genial 2 American  
[juh-nahy-uhl] / dʒəˈnaɪ əl /

adjective

Anatomy, Zoology.

  1. of or relating to the chin.

genial 1 British  
/ ˈdʒiːnjəl, -nɪəl, ˌdʒiːnɪˈælɪtɪ /

adjective

  1. cheerful, easy-going, and warm in manner or behaviour

  2. pleasantly warm, so as to give life, growth, or health

    the genial sunshine
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
genial 2 British  
/ dʒɪˈniːəl /

adjective

  1. anatomy of or relating to the chin

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • geniality noun
  • genially adverb
  • genialness noun

Etymology

Origin of genial1

First recorded in 1560–70; from Latin geniālis “festive, jovial, pleasant,” equivalent to geni(us), a tutelary deity, the spirit of social enjoyment + -ālis -al 1; genius ( def. )

Origin of genial2

1825–35; < Greek génei ( on ) chin, derivative of gén ( ys ) jaw (compare Latin gena ) + -al 1

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.

His innocent smiles and genial facial expressions won over millions of viewers.

From Barron's • Feb. 22, 2026

A formidable scholar with a genial talent for storytelling, he amplifies his archival research with personal investigation of the places and surviving objects from his subject’s life.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 20, 2026

One socializes with friends: Forty years in Charlottesville has brought me many smart and genial ones.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 9, 2026

The Sweet Southern Stammer was David Lewis, a genial Republican House member from rural North Carolina with a speech impediment and an uncommon mastery of election law.

From Salon • Dec. 24, 2025

He was a barrel-chested fellow with hard, genial eyes.

From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt

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.