-gen

¹ American  

Also -gene

1. a combining form meaning “that which produces,” used in the formation of compound words.

   endogen; hydrogen.

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gen. ² American  

abbreviation

1. gender.

2. general.

3. genitive.

4. genus.

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Gen. ³ American  

abbreviation

1. Military. General.

2. Bible. Genesis.

3. Geneva.

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-gen ¹ British  

suffix

1. producing or that which produces

   hydrogen

2. something produced

   carcinogen

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Gen. ² British  

abbreviation

1. General

2. Bible Genesis

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gen ³ British  

/ dʒɛn /

noun

1. informal information See also gen up

   give me the gen on your latest project

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Usage

What does -gen mean? The combining form -gen is used like a suffix meaning “that which produces.” It is often used in scientific and technical terms, especially in chemistry and biology.The form -gen comes from Greek -genēs, meaning “born” or “produced.” The Latin translation and cognate of -genēs 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 -gen?While the form -gen doesn't have any variants, it is related to the combining forms -genic, -geny, and -genous, as in heterogenic, heterogeny, and heterogenous. The form -gen is also closely related to the combining forms -genesis and -genetic as in carcinogenesis and autogenetic. Read our Words That Use articles for -genic, -geny, -genous, -genesis, and -genetic to learn more.

Etymology

Origin of -gen

< French -gène ≪ Greek -genēs born, produced; akin to Latin genus, kin

Example Sentences

At Tuesday’s briefing, neither Hegseth nor Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, mentioned the latest number of U.S. casualties.

From The Wall Street Journal

Gen. Patrick Karuretwa, head of army international relations, quickly settled on Mozambique.

From The Wall Street Journal

Army Gen. Eric Kurilla, who led Central Command from 2022 to 2025, continued to advocate for that idea after McKenzie retired, according to former Pentagon officials.

From The Wall Street Journal

“A lot of footwear brands that we see today, they kind of live and die by Gen Z’s favor,” she said.

From MarketWatch

“They became kind of a cliché with their image as a tech-bro shoe, and they continued to target slightly older consumers — millennials or Gen X — and I think that was the wrong strategy,” she said.

From MarketWatch