genuine
Americanadjective
-
possessing the claimed or attributed character, quality, or origin; not counterfeit; authentic; real.
genuine sympathy;
a genuine antique.
-
properly so called.
a genuine case of smallpox.
-
free from pretense, affectation, or hypocrisy; sincere.
a genuine person.
- Synonyms:
- forthright, frank, honest, open, unaffected, true
-
descended from the original stock; pure in breed.
a genuine Celtic people.
adjective
-
not fake or counterfeit; original; real; authentic
-
not pretending; frank; sincere
-
being of authentic or original stock
Pronunciation
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.
Related Words
See authentic.
Other Word Forms
- genuinely adverb
- genuineness noun
- nongenuine adjective
- quasi-genuine adjective
- ungenuine adjective
Etymology
Origin of genuine
First recorded in 1590–1600; from Latin genuīnus “innate, natural,” equivalent to genu, as in ingenuus “native” ( ingenuous ) + -īnus adjective suffix ( -ine 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.
Those who benefit from misinformation can easily exploit this -- a phenomenon researchers call the "liar's dividend," where genuine but unflattering information is waved away as AI-generated.
From Barron's • Apr. 2, 2026
I also gave genuine consideration to Everton's James Garner as a 'bolter' making a late dash for inclusion after an accomplished England introduction, a midfielder who can also play right-back.
From BBC • Apr. 1, 2026
“The big question is whether we’re getting anything in return that makes progress toward a genuine democratic transition,” Ramsey said.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026
This does not reflect genuine strength as much as it signals “temporary resilience,” says Simon Massabni, head of business development at XS, a multi-asset broker.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 1, 2026
A few days later, when my mother walked in the door, her smile was genuine.
From Full of Beans by Jennifer L. Holm
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.
