-geny

1. a combining form meaning “origin,” used in the formation of compound words:

   phylogeny.

-geny

combining form

1. indicating origin or manner of development

   phylogeny

Derived Forms

• -genic, combining_form:in_adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of -geny¹

From the Greek word -geneia, dating back to 1885–90. See -gen, -y ³

Word History and Origins

Origin of -geny¹

from Greek -geneia, from -genēs born

Example Sentences

“The way we travel has changed massively in the last five years but the way we book that travel is still fairly long-winded and time consuming,” says Greg Geny, co-founder and CEO of BRB, which launched last August.

From The Guardian

Compared to previous generations, a larger percentage of GenX and GenY women are in the workforce, so this trend could make 2015 the best year yet for young businesswomen.

From Forbes

Guilty of short circuiting its brand image, its business model, its leadership choices, and its customer outreach strategy, RadioShack lost the pulse of GenY tinkerers and the pioneering spirit it had championed.

From Forbes

“It’s a little bit delicate,” said Geny Jarrosay, 25, an art student who has created several pieces based on the complex, sometimes tense relation between the base and the city of Guantánamo, where he grew up.

From New York Times

Meanwhile, consumers, particularly GenY and GenZ, have shifted their purchase choices on price, efficacy, and, most significantly, the cultural values of these companies.

From Forbes

Words That Use -geny

What does -geny mean?

The combining form –geny is used like a suffix meaning “origin.” It is often used in scientific terms, especially in biology.

The form –geny comes from Greek –geneia, meaning “born” or “produced.” The Latin translation and cognate of –geneia is nātus, meaning “born,” which is the source of natal, native, and nature. Find out how these terms derive from nātus at our entry for each word.

What are variants of –geny?

While the form –geny doesn’t have any variants, it is related to the combining form –genic, as in hallucinogenic. The form –geny is also closely related to the combining forms –gen, –genous, –genesis, and –genetic, as in pathogen, heterogenous, biogenesis, and epigenetic. Want to know more? Read our Words That Use articles for –gen, –genic, –genous, –genesis, and –genetic.

Examples of -geny

One example of a scientific term that features the form –geny is cytogeny, or cytogenesis, meaning “the origin and development of cells.”

The cyto– part of the word means “cell,” from Greek kýtos. The suffix –geny means “origin,” as we have seen. Cytogeny literally translates to “cell origin.”

What are some words that use the combining form –geny?

• homogeny (using the equivalent form of –geny in Greek)
• biogeny
• endogeny
• phylogeny
• lysogeny

What are some other forms that –geny may be commonly confused with?

• -gamy
• -gony
• -gyny

Break it down!

The combining form endo– means “within.” With this in mind, what does endogeny mean?