genetic

/dʒəˈnetɪk/ (bre, ipa) · [dʒənˈɛtɪk] /dʒəˈnetɪk/ (ame, ipa) · [dʒənˈɛtɪk] /jə-ˈne-tik/ (ame, mw)

genetic — 形容詞

  • geneticpositive
  • more geneticcomparative
  • most geneticsuperlative

1. relating to the instructions inside every living cell that are passed from paren

1.形容詞B1
釋義

基因的

與遺傳特徵相關的

relating to the instructions inside every living cell that are passed from parents to children and control features such as eye colour, height, and the risk of certain illnesses

例句

Ritu has her mother's green eyes because of a genetic trait in the family.

Ritu 有她母親的綠色眼睛，這是因為家族中的基因特徵。

collocation: genetic trait

Doctors told Adaeze that her rare heart condition has a clear genetic cause.

醫生告訴 Adaeze，她罕見的心臟疾病有明確的基因成因。

collocation: genetic cause

同義詞
  • hereditary

    More specific — focuses on passing through family lines rather than the cellular mechanism.

  • inherited

    Emphasises the family-transmission aspect; used for traits, wealth, or conditions received from ancestors.

  • innate

    Broader — can describe inborn qualities not necessarily tied to specific genes (e.g. 'an innate sense of rhythm').

反義詞
  • acquired

    Describes conditions or traits developed during life rather than inherited at birth.

  • environmental

    Caused by surroundings or lifestyle rather than by genes.

文法句型

genetic + noun (trait, disorder, test, makeup)

用法筆記

This is the most common use of 'genetic', appearing frequently in medical and everyday contexts. It typically modifies nouns such as 'trait', 'disorder', 'test', 'makeup', and 'cause'. Unlike sense 2, this sense focuses on the biological material passed between generations rather than the scientific field that studies it.

常見錯誤

❌She inherited a genetic disease from her mother's cooking.
✅She inherited a genetic disease from her mother.
💡Genetic diseases pass through DNA, not through lifestyle or habits.
❌Genetic traits cannot be changed at all.
✅Some genetic traits can be influenced by environment and lifestyle.
💡Genes interact with the environment; not everything is fixed by DNA.

2. connected with the branch of biology that studies how the characteristics of liv

2.形容詞B2
釋義

遺傳學的

與遺傳學科或應用相關的

connected with the branch of biology that studies how the characteristics of living things are passed from one generation to the next through their DNA

例句

Ada decided to study genetic engineering at university after winning the science fair.

Ada 在科展獲獎後，決定在大學攻讀基因工程。

collocation: genetic engineering

Genetic research has helped scientists understand how the immune system fights disease.

基因研究幫助科學家了解免疫系統如何對抗疾病。

collocation: genetic research

同義詞
  • genomics-related

    More specific — refers to the study of genomes (the complete set of genes). More technical and less common.

  • hereditary (in academic use)

    In scientific contexts, 'hereditary' overlaps with 'genetic' but is narrower, focusing on transmission patterns rather than molecular mechanisms.

文法句型

genetic + noun (research, engineering, testing, medicine)

用法筆記

Use this sense when the topic is the scientific discipline or its practical applications (laboratory work, research studies, academic departments). Distinguish from sense 1: 'a genetic mutation' (sense 1 — the mutation itself) vs 'genetic analysis' (sense 2 — the method of study).

常見錯誤

❌My father has a genetic engineering condition.
✅My father works in genetic engineering.
💡Genetic engineering is a field of science, not a medical condition.
❌Genetic research means studying your family tree.
✅Genetic research means studying DNA and how traits are passed on.
💡Not the same as genealogy or family history research.

3. used at the end of a word to mean 'producing' or 'causing' something — for examp

3.形容詞B2
釋義

產生…的

字尾-genic表「產生或引起」

used at the end of a word to mean 'producing' or 'causing' something — for example, a substance that causes cancer is described as 'carcinogenic', and something that causes an allergic reaction is 'allergenic'

例句

The old factory released carcinogenic chemicals into the river near the village.

那間老舊工廠將致癌化學物質排放到村莊附近的河裡。

-genic meaning 'causing': carcinogenic = cancer-causing

Scientists are studying a new allergenic substance found in some household products.

科學家正在研究在某些家用產品中發現的一種新型致敏物質。

文法句型

[noun] + genic = producing [noun]

用法筆記

This is a combining form (also written as '-genic'), not a standalone word. It attaches to noun stems to form adjectives. Common derivatives include 'carcinogenic', 'allergenic', and 'pathogenic'. In scientific writing, many specialised forms exist such as 'mutagenic' and 'teratogenic'.

4. used at the end of a word to mean 'produced by' or 'originating from' something

4.形容詞C1
釋義

源於…的

字尾-genic表「由…所產生」

used at the end of a word to mean 'produced by' or 'originating from' something — for example, someone who looks good in photographs is 'photogenic', and an illness caused by medical treatment is 'iatrogenic'

例句

Noor is very photogenic and always looks great in family holiday pictures.

Noor 非常上相，在家庭度假照片中總是很上鏡。

-genic meaning 'produced by': photogenic = produced by (good in) light

The infection was iatrogenic, meaning it was caused by the hospital treatment itself.

這次感染是醫源性的，也就是說是由醫院治療本身所引起的。

文法句型

[noun] + genic = originating from [noun]

用法筆記

Distinguish from sense 3 of this entry: '-genic' meaning 'producing' (carcinogenic) versus '-genic' meaning 'produced by' (photogenic). The direction of causation depends on context: the first part of the word names either what is produced or what does the producing.