genuine

[jen-yoo-in]

adjective

1. possessing the claimed or attributed character, quality, or origin; not counterfeit; authentic; real.

   genuine sympathy;

   a genuine antique.

2. properly so called.

   a genuine case of smallpox.

3. free from pretense, affectation, or hypocrisy; sincere.

   a genuine person.

   Synonyms: forthright, frank, honest, open, unaffected, true

4. descended from the original stock; pure in breed.

   a genuine Celtic people.

genuine

/ ˈdʒɛnjʊɪn /

adjective

1. not fake or counterfeit; original; real; authentic

2. not pretending; frank; sincere

3. being of authentic or original stock

Pronunciation Note

Two pronunciations of genuine occur, with a sharp social contrast between them. The usual educated pronunciation is , with the final syllable unstressed. Among some less educated speakers, especially older ones, genuine is commonly pronounced as , with a secondary stress on the final syllable, which has the vowel of sign. The latter pronunciation is sometimes used deliberately by educated speakers, as for emphasis or humorous effect.

Other Word Forms

• genuinely adverb
• genuineness noun
• nongenuine adjective
• quasi-genuine adjective
• ungenuine adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of genuine¹

First recorded in 1590–1600; from Latin genuīnus “innate, natural,” equivalent to genu, as in ingenuus “native” ( ingenuous ) + -īnus adjective suffix ( -ine ¹ )

Word History and Origins

Origin of genuine¹

C16: from Latin genuīnus inborn, hence (in Late Latin) authentic, from gignere to produce

Synonym Study

See authentic.

Example Sentences

Side by side, there is no obvious difference between these two Manchester United shirts - but the genuine one would cost £85 to buy, and the other just £15.

Read more on BBC

At the same time, "we were checking with different apps if the image was genuine or fake", said the official, who requested anonymity.

Read more on Barron's

The lines between genuine retailers and scammers are blurred because of artificial intelligence.

Read more on MarketWatch

Arsenal have been turned into genuine title contenders by signing quality players like Rice.

Read more on BBC

There’s also still a lot of genuine emotion in the process, he said.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• absolute 
• bona fide 
• certain 
• honest 
• legitimate 
• natural 
• palpable 
• positive 
• pure