genial
1 Americanadjective
adjective
-
cheerful, easy-going, and warm in manner or behaviour
-
pleasantly warm, so as to give life, growth, or health
the genial sunshine
adjective
Other Word Forms
- geniality noun
- genially adverb
- genialness noun
Etymology
Origin of genial1
First recorded in 1560–70; from Latin geniālis “festive, jovial, pleasant,” equivalent to geni(us), a tutelary deity, the spirit of social enjoyment + -ālis -al 1; genius ( def. )
Origin of genial2
1825–35; < Greek génei ( on ) chin, derivative of gén ( ys ) jaw (compare Latin gena ) + -al 1
Explanation
If you're friendly and outgoing, you're genial. You can be a genial host or a genial guest. This is mainly a word for pleasant kindness. Besides people or animals, climates and weather can be genial, which means they too are warm and sunny — good for growing things. In older literature, genial might have something to do with marriage and family, and sometimes brilliance, as in genius. Those uses are very rare nowadays, as is the sense of genial as having to do with the jaw. These days, warmth and friendliness are the main meanings.
Vocabulary lists containing genial
Fast Food Nation
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Grade 10, List 6
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"The Lady, or the Tiger?" by Frank R. Stockton
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The book’s final chapters, informed by social-science research, offer genial guidance on understanding mistakes and preventing them in the future.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 27, 2026
His innocent smiles and genial facial expressions won over millions of viewers.
From Barron's • Feb. 22, 2026
Generally speaking, it’s more angular, more acid, more morbid, more willing to let a protagonist stew in misery, more suspicious of sentiment than our comparatively genial homegrown brand.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 12, 2026
The Sweet Southern Stammer was David Lewis, a genial Republican House member from rural North Carolina with a speech impediment and an uncommon mastery of election law.
From Salon • Dec. 24, 2025
“There she stood,” Stanton wrote, “with her good, earnest face and genial smile...I like her thoroughly.”
From "Votes for Women!" by Winifred Conkling
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
