genuine article

American  

[jen-yoo-in ahr-ti-kuhl, jen-yoo-ahyn] / ˈdʒɛn yu ɪn ˈɑr tɪ kəl, ˈdʒɛn yuˌaɪn /

noun

Slang.

1. the genuine article, a person or thing that is an excellent, authentic, or true example of their type, rather than just an imitation.

   Don’t buy mass-produced T-shirts that weren’t really tie-dyed—we’ve got the genuine article!

   When it comes to real-life heroes, Lieutenant Shapiro is the genuine article.

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Pronunciation

See genuine ( def. ).

Etymology

Origin of genuine article

First recorded in 1790–95

Example Sentences

In an industry where phoniness and arrogance are stipulated in the fine print of an actor’s soul-selling contract, Candy remained the genuine article until his untimely death in 1994.

From Salon • Oct. 12, 2025

Ohtani wanted the genuine article and told reporters after the game, “For me, it’s a very special ball, so I’m thankful.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 11, 2024

And not a sagacious orchestral adaptation of swing — as in Adams’s “City Noir” — but the genuine article.

From New York Times • Jun. 29, 2023

Thirty-five years later with “Renfield,” Cage is finally playing the genuine article, complete with bloodthirsty fangs and a dapper velvet smoking jacket.

From Washington Times • Apr. 14, 2023

They were the genuine article, mostly the products of lumber towns, dairy farms, mining camps, fishing boats, and shipyards.

From "The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics" by Daniel James Brown