Genealogy, jen-e-al′o-ji, n. history of the descent of families: the pedigree of a particular person or family.—adj. Genealog′ical.—adv. Genealog′ically.—v.i. Geneal′ogise, to investigate or treat of genealogy.—n. Geneal′ogist, one who studies or traces genealogies or descents.—Genealogical tree, the lineage of a family or person under the form of a tree with roots, branches, &c. [Fr.,—L.,—Gr. genealogia—genea, birth, legein, to speak of.]
Genera. See Genus.
General, jen′ėr-al, adj. relating to a genus or whole class: including many species: not special: not restricted: common: prevalent: public: loose: vague.—n. a class embracing many species: an officer who is head over a whole department: a military officer who commands a body of men not less than a brigade (often general officer): the chief commander of an army in service: (R.C. Church) the head of a religious order, responsible only to the Pope: (Shak.) the public, the vulgar.—n. General′ē, esp. in pl. Generalia, general principles.—adj. Generalī′sable.—n. Generalisā′tion.—v.t. Generalīse′, to include under a general term: to infer (the nature of a class) from one or a few instances.—v.i. to reason inductively.—n. General′ity.—advs. Gen′erally, Gen′eral (obs.), in a general or collective manner or sense: in most cases: upon the whole.—n. Gen′eralship, the position of a military commander: military tactics.—General Assembly (see Assembly); General Epistle, one addressed to the whole Church (same as Catholic Epistle); General practitioner, a physician who devotes himself to general practice rather than to special diseases; General principle, a principle to which there are no exceptions within its range of application; General servant, a servant whose duties are not special, but embrace domestic work of every kind.—In general, mostly, as a general rule. [O. Fr.,—L. generalis—genus.]
Generalissimo, jen-ėr-al-is′i-mo, n. the chief general or commander of an army of two or more divisions, or of separate armies. [It.]
Generate, jen′ėr-āt, v.t. to produce: to bring into life: to originate.—adj. Gen′erable, that may be generated or produced.—ns. Gen′erant (math.), a line, point, or figure that produces another figure by its motion; Generā′tion, a producing or originating: a single stage in natural descent: the people of the same age or period: offspring, progeny, race: (pl.) genealogy, history (B.); Generā′tionism, traducianism.—adj. Gen′erātive, having the power of generating or producing.—ns. Gen′erātor, begetter or producer: the principal sound in music; Gen′erātrix (geom.), the point, line, or surface which, by its motion, generates another magnitude.—adjs. Genet′ic, -al, pertaining to genesis or production.—adv. Genet′ically.—ns. Gen′etrix, Gen′itrix, a female parent; Gen′itor, a progenitor; Gen′iture, birth.—Alternation of generations, a complication in the life-history of plants, when the organism produces offspring unlike itself, but giving rise in turn to forms like the original parents; Spontaneous generation, the origination of living from non-living matter: abiogenesis. [L. generāre, -ātum—genus, a kind.]
Generic, -al, Generically. See Genus.
Generous, jen′ėr-us, adj. of a noble nature: courageous: liberal: bountiful: invigorating in its nature, as wine: (obs.) nobly born.—adv. Gen′erously.—ns. Gen′erousness, Generos′ity, nobleness or liberality of nature: (arch.) nobility of birth. [Fr. généreux—L. generosus, of noble birth—genus, birth.]
Genesis, jen′e-sis, n. generation, creation, or production: the first book of the Bible, so called from its containing an account of the Creation:—pl. Gen′esēs.—adjs. Genes′iac, -al, Genesit′ic, pertaining to Genesis. [L.,—Gr.,—gignesthai, to beget.]
Genet, Gennet. Same as Jennet.
Genet, jen′et, n. a carnivorous animal, allied to the civet, of a gray colour, marked with black or brown, a native of Africa, Asia, and Southern Europe: its fur, made into muffs and tippets.—Also Gen′ette. [Fr. genette—Sp. gineta—Ar. jarnait, a genet.]