genus

noun ge·nus \ ˈjē-nəs , ˈje- \

|Updated on: 9 Jun 2018

Definition of genus

plural genera play \ˈje-nə-rə\ also genuses

1 : a class, kind, or group marked by common characteristics or by one common characteristic; specifically : a category of biological classification ranking between the family and the species, comprising structurally or phylogenetically (see phylogenetic 2) related species or an isolated species exhibiting unusual differentiation, and being designated by a Latin or latinized capitalized singular noun

2 : a class of objects divided into several subordinate species

See genus defined for English-language learners

See genus defined for kids

Examples of genus in a Sentence

the crime novel, written from the criminal's perspective, is sometimes seen as a particular species of the detective story genus

Recent Examples of genus from the Web

The study also notes that two types of flatworm in the Diversibipalium genus — one black, found in France, and an iridescent blue version found on the island of Mayotte — are probably new species.

— chris ciaccia, Fox News, "Massive 18-inch hammerhead worms are invading France," 23 May 2018
In the subsequent Miocene, species of the genus Wakaleo, or little lions, grew larger in an evolutionary chain reaction: Prey animals got bigger as plant life changed in response to a drying and cooling continent.

— sean greene, latimes.com, "A rare great ape, a 130-foot-tall tree and an extinct marsupial lion make the Top 10 New Species list for 2018," 23 May 2018
And in the case of Crikey steveirwini, a rare snail from northern Queensland, even the genus name honors Irwin, in the form of his favoured colloquialism.

— kevin thiele, Smithsonian, "Why Scientists Name Species," 28 Apr. 2018
Anything in the Asclepias genus will feed the monarch’s caterpillars, which badly need the food in the large, milkweed-depauperate migration states of the Midwest.

— molly marquand, Good Housekeeping, "15 Native Wildflowers Every Gardener Should Plant," 5 May 2017
The nonprofit society is devoted to this genus of plants that are an important food source for butterflies.

— doreen christensen, Sun-Sentinel.com, "Mother's Day freebies and discounts at gardens, museums and restaurants," 11 May 2018
Native to the tropical cloud forests of South America, the angel’s trumpet planet was never a diverse genus, and its populations were never terribly robust, says Julia Dupin.

— harrison takoff, Smithsonian, "Why You Can Walk Into a Store and Buy a Nearly Extinct Animal," 2 Apr. 2018
As part of a super-family that once populated Gondwana, the find is also the first new bat genus to be added to the region's fauna in more than 150 years.

— gavin mouldey, National Geographic, "Extinct Burrowing Bat Discovered, and It Was Giant," 11 Jan. 2018
Today’s fascinator is nothing like a scarf; taxonomically, milliners place them under the genus of hats.

— laura jacobs, Vanities, "A Brief History of Fascinators, the Haiku of Hats," 9 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'genus.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of genus

Latin gener-, genus birth, race, kind — more at kin

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1551

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

genus Synonyms

Synonyms

bracket, category, class, classification, division, family, grade, group, kind, league, order, rank(s), rubric, set, species, tier, type;

branch, section, speciality, specialty, subclass, subdivision, subgroup, subspecies, variety;

breed, race;

generation;

heading, label, title;

Other Biology Terms

autochthonous, fecund, homunculus, phylogeny, substrate

GENUS Defined for English Language Learners

genus

noun

Definition of genus for English Language Learners

biology : a group of related animals or plants that includes several or many different species

GENUS Defined for Kids

genus

noun ge·nus \ ˈjē-nəs \

Definition of genus for Students

plural genera \ˈje-nə-rə\

: a group of related living things (as plants or animals) that ranks below the family in scientific classification and is made up of one or more species

Medical Dictionary

genus

noun ge·nus \ ˈjē-nəs , ˈjen-əs \

medical Definition of genus

plural genera play \ˈjen-ə-rə\

: a class, kind, or group marked by common characteristics or by one common characteristic; specifically : a category of biological classification ranking between the family and the species, comprising structurally or phylogenetically related species or an isolated species exhibiting unusual differentiation, and designated by a Latin or latinized capitalized singular noun