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  • genetic
    genetic
    adjective
    pertaining or according to genetics.
  • -genetic
    -genetic
    a suffix of adjectives corresponding to nouns ending in -genesis:
Synonyms

genetic

1 American  
[juh-net-ik] / dʒəˈnɛt ɪk /
Also genetical

adjective

  1. Biology. pertaining or according to genetics.

  2. of, relating to, or produced by genes; genic.

  3. of, relating to, or influenced by geneses or origins.


-genetic 2 American  
  1. a suffix of adjectives corresponding to nouns ending in -genesis:

    parthenogenetic.


genetic British  
/ dʒɪˈnɛtɪk /

adjective

  1. of or relating to genetics, genes, or the origin of something

"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

Etymology

Origin of genetic

First recorded in 1825–35; gene(sis) + -tic

Explanation

Anything genetic has to do with your genes and DNA. You inherited your mom's eye color because it's genetic. Genetic traits run in families: biological families, anyway. Anything genetic is related to your DNA, the material you inherited from your biological parents. Hair color, eye color, and other physical traits are genetic, and so are some diseases. Scientists do genetic research to see how knowing what’s in your genes could help keep you well. If you're healthy, one reason is good genetics.

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Vocabulary lists containing genetic

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.

See Examples For:

At a key stage in her treatment, genetic testing confirmed Lynette was also BRCA1 positive.

From BBC Jul. 28, 2026

And the good news is that the grandparent role comes in many forms today and no longer has to rely on a genetic link.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 28, 2026

Confused and dissatisfied with local treatment plans, Lynette sought a second opinion from The Royal Marsden Hospital in London which recommended genetic testing and platinum chemotherapy – something not offered on the NHS at home.

From BBC Jul. 28, 2026

I first met the Westerinen family in 1999 as a graduate student in New York City, writing my thesis on the rise of genetic genealogy.

From Salon Jul. 27, 2026

Sturtevant’s rudimentary genetic map would foreshadow the vast and elaborate efforts to map genes along the human genome in the 1990s.

From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee

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