genre

noun

ˈzhän-rə

ˈzhäⁿ-;

ˈzhäⁿr;

ˈjän-rə

Synonyms of genre next

: a category of artistic, musical, or literary composition characterized by a particular style, form, or content

a classic of the gothic novel genre

: kind, sort

: painting that depicts scenes or events from everyday life usually realistically

Did you know?

Genre, as you might guess from the way it sounds, comes straight from French, a language based on Latin. It's closely related to genus, a word you may have encountered in biology class. Both words contain the gen- root because they indicate that everything in a particular category (a genre or a genus) belongs to the same "family" and thus has the same origins. So the main genres of classical music would include symphonies, sonatas, and opera, and the major genres of literature would include novels, short stories, poetry, and drama. But within the category of novels, we could also say that detective novels, sci-fi novels, romance novels, and young-adult novels are separate genres.

Examples of genre in a Sentence

In genre fiction there is an implied contract between writer and reader that justice of a kind will be exacted; "good" may not always triumph over "evil," but the distinction between the two must be honored. —

Joyce Carol Oates, New York Review of Books, 14 Aug. 2003

One of the first marketers outside of hip-hop to recognize the power of the genre … . he first sent models sashaying down the runway in 1991 in hip-hop chic, with sneakers and chunky gold chains … —

Johnnie L. Roberts, Newsweek, 2 Sept. 2002

Even the local Catholic archdiocesan weekly, hardly an exciting genre, offers a more provocative sampling of opinion on its editorial page. —

Walker Percy, "New Orleans Mon Amour," 1968, in Signposts in a Strange Land, 1991

This book is a classic of the mystery genre. the novel's hero is of a different genre than the traditional kind

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Join DeBary Hall staff for a fun evening full of beginner line dances to various music genres. —

Joe Rassel, Orlando Sentinel, 19 Feb. 2025 The Bay Area native used to also have a rap career and still continues to champion the genre. —

Angel Diaz, Billboard, 19 Feb. 2025 Throughout the last two decades, Killswitch Engage have reigned as kings of the metalcore genre. —

Quentin Thane Singer, Forbes, 19 Feb. 2025 The center has expanded its offerings in recent years in an effort to reach new audiences, with genres like comedy and hip-hop now side by side with classical music, ballet and theater. —

Robin Pogrebin, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2025 See all Example Sentences for genre