genesis

1 of 2

noun (1)

gen·​e·​sis ˈje-nə-səs 

plural geneses ˈje-nə-ˌsēz 

: the origin or coming into being of something

the genesis of a new political movement

Genesis

2 of 2

noun (2)

: the mainly narrative first book of canonical Jewish and Christian Scriptures see Bible Table

Did you know?

The traditional Greek name for the first and best-known book of the Bible is Genesis, meaning "origin". Genesis tells the stories of the creation, Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, Noah's ark, the Tower of Babel, Abraham and his sons, and more—the stories that explain how the world and humanity were created, as well as much about how humanity, and especially the descendants of Abraham, relate to the rest of the world. Today we use genesis to refer to the creative beginnings of much smaller things, but never unimportant ones.

Synonyms

Noun (1)

• alpha
• baseline
• beginning
• birth
• commencement
• dawn
• day one
• get-go
• git-go
• inception
• incipience
• incipiency
• kickoff
• launch
• morning
• nascence
• nascency
• onset
• outset
• start
• threshold

Examples of genesis in a Sentence

Noun (1)

a book about the genesis of the civil rights movement

was present at the meeting which was later considered the genesis of the new political movement

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Kashmir, one of the most heavily militarized regions in the world and one that has served as the genesis for bloodshed between the two South Asian powerhouses, will have to be at the top of the list in any peace process. —Daniel Depetris, Chicago Tribune, 13 May 2025

The Appalachian Trail intentionally diversified its revenue streams after recognizing that their federal partners were chronically understaffed, anyway, even before the genesis of DOGE. —Grayson Haver Currin, Outside Online, 12 May 2025

That was the genesis of my connection with the beverage. —Brad Japhe, Forbes.com, 12 May 2025

The theory at the center of this approach is that there is one genesis for all these symptoms. —Jessica Dulong, CNN Money, 11 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Latin, from Greek, from gignesthai to be born — more at kin

Noun (2)

Greek

First Known Use

Noun (1)

circa 1604, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for genesis

• venosus
• agenesis
• dysgenesis
• oogenesis
• angiogenesis
• atherogenesis
• carcinogenesis
• embryogenesis
• gametogenesis
• organogenesis
• osteogenesis
• parthenogenesis

Kids Definition

genesis

1 of 2 noun

gen·​e·​sis ˈjen-ə-səs 

plural geneses -ə-ˌsēz 

: the origin or coming into being of something

Genesis

2 of 2

: the mainly narrative first book of canonical Jewish and Christian Scriptures see bible

Medical Definition

genesis

noun

gen·​e·​sis ˈjen-ə-səs 

plural geneses -ˌsēz 

: the origin or coming into being of something : the process or mode of origin