-genic
/-ˈdʒɛ.nɪk/
Word Rarity
Very rare
Frequency: 1.62 in modern English
8
Scrabble Score
5
Letters
2
Syllables
5
Unique Chars
Meaning
suffix
Forms adjectives relating to things producing or generating something.
suffix
Forms adjectives relating to things suitable to be produced or reproduced.
Example Sentences
- "carcino- + -genic → carcinogenic (“tending to cause cancer”)"
- "bacterio- + -genic → bacteriogenic (“caused by bacteria”)"
- "tele- + -genic → telegenic (“attractive to television viewers”)"
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *ǵenh₁- Proto-Indo-European *-os Proto-Indo-European *ǵénh₁os Proto-Hellenic *génos Ancient Greek γένος (génos) Proto-Indo-European *-os Proto-Indo-European *-ēs Proto-Hellenic *-ēs Ancient Greek -ης (-ēs) Ancient Greek -γενής (-genḗs)lbor. French -gènebor. Proto-Indo-European *-ikos Proto-Italic *-ikos Latin -icuslbor. Old French -iquebor. Middle English -ik English -ic English -genic Borrowed either from French -gène or directly from its etymological source, Ancient Greek -γενής (-genḗs, “offspring; kind”), with -ic. Compare -gen.
Origin
- Source language: French