geno

IPA/dʒˈiːnəʊ/
KK[dʒˈino]IPA/dʒˈiːnoʊ/

geno — combining_form

1. A prefix from Greek meaning 'race', 'offspring', or 'ancestry', used in words ab

1.combining_formB2
釋義

A prefix from Greek meaning 'race', 'offspring', or 'ancestry', used in words about ethnic groups, family lines, or inherited characteristics — for example, in terms about the destruction of a people group or the genetic makeup passed down through families.

例句

Historians consider the systematic killing of the Herero people in 1904 an early example of genocide.

genocide: geno- (race) + -cide (killing)

Ravindra's doctor explained how his genotype might affect his response to the new heart medication.

同義詞
  • racial

    An adjective rather than a prefix; 'racial' describes something related to race, whereas 'geno-' is a building block for larger words.

  • hereditary

    Focuses on traits passed through families rather than the broader 'race' or 'group' meaning of 'geno-'.

文法句型

geno- + noun/adjective base

用法筆記

Words formed with this prefix are typically formal or scientific. 'Genocide' is the most commonly encountered term outside of academic settings.

常見錯誤

❌The tribe suffered a genoside.
✅The tribe suffered a genocide.
💡The correct spelling is -cide (from Latin -cida 'killer'), not -side.
❌She studied the human genone.
✅She studied the human genome.
💡'Genome' ends with -ome (meaning 'whole set'), not -one.

2. A prefix from Greek referring to a category, class, or kind of things that share

2.combining_formC1
釋義

A prefix from Greek referring to a category, class, or kind of things that share common features — used especially in scientific classification systems for plants, animals, and ideas.

例句

In biology class, Dahlia learned that the genus Panthera includes lions, tigers, and leopards.

genus: a group of related species in biological classification

The professor advised using the generic term 'antibiotic' instead of listing brand names in the report.

同義詞
  • category

    A broader, everyday word; 'genus' is specifically a biological rank.

  • type

    More general and less technical than 'genus'.

文法句型

geno- + noun/adjective base

用法筆記

The noun 'genus' (plural 'genera') and the adjective 'generic' are the most common English descendants of this sense. 'Genus' is used strictly in biological taxonomy; 'generic' has a broader everyday use meaning 'general' or 'not specific'.

常見錯誤

❌The genuses Canis and Felis are different.
✅The genera Canis and Felis are different.
💡The plural of 'genus' is 'genera', not 'genuses'.

3. A prefix meaning 'general', 'common', or 'broadly applicable', appearing in word

3.combining_formB2
釋義

A prefix meaning 'general', 'common', or 'broadly applicable', appearing in words that relate to whole categories rather than specific individual cases.

例句

The general public shared their thoughts on the new library design at the town meeting.

general: affecting or concerning most people; not limited to a small group

Piotr bought a generic painkiller because it cost half the price of the name-brand version.

同義詞
  • universal

    Implies something applies everywhere without exception, a stronger meaning than 'general'.

  • common

    Focuses on frequency or prevalence rather than scope.

反義詞
  • specific

    Refers to a particular case rather than a whole category.

文法句型

geno- + noun/adjective base

用法筆記

This sense appears in everyday English words like 'general' and 'generic', which are common in both formal and informal settings. Unlike the other senses, these words do not use 'geno-' as a visible prefix; they derive historically from the same Greek root.