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.
According to the team, this represented an important confirmation that degraded collagen fragments were genuinely present inside the fossil.
From Science Daily • May 14, 2026
One star seemed genuinely enthralled that people recognized her and clapped when she came out, the other one seemed like he couldn’t get out of the show fast enough and get back to bed.
From Los Angeles Times • May 13, 2026
The latter measure will ensure that votes genuinely originate from the country in which they are submitted.
From BBC • May 12, 2026
From there, you ask: Is something genuinely different this time that would make the current valuation sticky?
From MarketWatch • May 12, 2026
He asked me about my experiences and genuinely listened to what I told him.
From "The Boy on the Wooden Box" by Leon Leyson
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.
