Word of the Day

: September 21, 2007

genial

adjective JEE-nee-ul

What It Means

1 : favorable to growth or comfort : mild

2 : marked by or diffusing sympathy or friendliness

3 : displaying or marked by genius

genial in Context

Our genial host immediately offered us refreshments and introduced us to everyone.

Did You Know?

"Genial" derives from the Latin adjective "genialis," meaning "connected with marriage." When "genial" was first adopted into English in the mid-16th century, it meant "of or relating to marriage," a sense that is now obsolete. "Genialis" was formed in Latin by combining the "-alis" suffix (meaning "of, relating to, or characterized by") with "genius," meaning "a person's disposition or inclination." As you may have guessed, Latin "genius" is the ancestor of the English word "genius," meaning "extraordinary intellectual power"-- so it's logical enough that "genial" eventually developed a sense (possibly influenced by the German word "genial") of "marked by very high intelligence."

*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.