-genic

gen·ic
Canada, US, UK/-ˈdʒɛn.ɪk/Australia/-ˈdʒen.ɪk/New Zealand/-ˈdʒen.ək/

suffix

Forms adjectives relating to things producing or generating something.

“bacterio- + -genic → bacteriogenic (“caused by bacteria”)”

OriginAncient Greek γένος (génos) ← Proto-Hellenic *génos ← Proto-Indo-European *ǵénh₁os →
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Meanings

suffix-genic (adjective-forming suffix, not comparable)
  1. not comparableForms adjectives relating to things producing or generating something.

    carcino- + -genic → carcinogenic (“tending to cause cancer”)

  2. not comparableForms adjectives relating to things produced or generated by something.

    bacterio- + -genic → bacteriogenic (“caused by bacteria”)

  3. not comparableForms adjectives relating to things suitable to be produced or reproduced.

    tele- + -genic → telegenic (“attractive to television viewers”)

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*ǵenh₁-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*ǵénh₁os
  3. Proto-Hellenic*génos
  4. Ancient Greekγένος (génos)
  5. English-genic

Borrowed either from French -gène or directly from its etymological source, Ancient Greek -γενής (-genḗs, “offspring; kind”), with -ic. Compare -gen.

More words from French, Ancient Greek

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

German -gen
  • -gengenerated
Greek -γενής
  • -γενής (-genís)generated
Polish -twórczy, -rodny
  • -twórczygenerated
  • -rodnygenerated
  • -gennygenerated
Cite this entry
APA

-genic. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/-genic

MLA

“-genic.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/-genic. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “-genic,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/-genic.

Source: -genic on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.