genus
genus
Definition
ge·nus (jē′nəs)
noun pl. gen′·erajen′ər ə or ge′·nuses
- a class; kind; sort
- Biol. a major category in the classification of animals, plants, etc., ranking above a species and below a family: it can include one species or many similar species: the Latinized genus name is capitalized and italicized, and precedes the species name, which is italicized but not capitalized (Ex.: Homo sapiens, modern man)
- Logic a class of things made up of subordinate classes or species
Etymology: L, birth, origin, race, species, kind < IE base *ĝen-, to beget, produce > L gignere, to beget, gens, clan, Gr genos, race, gignesthai, to be born, Ger kind, child, OE (ge)cynd, kind, cennan, to beget; also, with loss of initial g-, L nasci, to be born, natura, nature
genus
Synonyms
genus
Usage Examples
Preposition: of
- algae: Of the more than 1500 * genera of algae worldwide, relatively few make suitable lichen partners.
- bacterium: Only a few genera of bacteria such as Bacillus and Clostridium are capable of forming endospores.
- plant: But in a new survey of species from 335 genera of higher plants, 48 were found to have the parasite.
- specie: This is a genus of 11 species of trees and shrubs, natives of East Africa and of North and South America.
Converse of object
- comprise: The family comprises a single genus, Gymnotus, which holds some of the most abundant and familiar knife fish from the Amazon.
- represent: There are an estimated 340,000 genera represented in the text as well as approximately 3000 supplemental corrections.
- describe: The term Iris in not only used to describe the genus, it is also the common name for the comprised species.
- relate: It is the most closely related genus containing C 4 species to Arabidopsis.
Adjective modifier
- monotypic: A monotypic genus confined to the western slopes of the North Rockies in California and Oregon, USA.
- endemic: There are four endemic palm species in three endemic genera.
- supreme: Central to his rejection of univocity of being is his denial that it is a supreme genus.
- tropical: Our taxonomic focus on species-rich, widely distributed tropical genera, and inventory programs in diverse ecosystems provides us with ideal study materials.
- distinct: The Proconsul is an early ape, which was once considered to be a distinct genus.
- diverse: Lichens, especially species of the diverse genus Cladonia, are a very important group on heathland.
Modifies a noun
- notocactus: General classification The genus Notocactus has been subdivided into smaller groups to aid the understanding of relationships between these groups.
- bacillus: Living in the soil are huge numbers of bacteria belonging to the genus Bacillus.
- name: Having said that, many genus names are just, well, names.
Noun used with modifier
Browse dictionary entries near genus
- genuine
- genuflect
- genu
- gentry
- gentrify
- gentrification
- Gentoo
- gently
- gentlewoman
- gentleness
- -geny
- GEO
- geo-
- geobotany
- geocentric
- geochemistry
- geochronology
- geochronometry
- geocorona
- geode
