Make Your Point > Archived Issues > GENIAL

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explore the archives: We got genial from the Latin word for both "cheerful, festive" and "related to marriage ceremonies." In the past, it described festivities, especially those related to marriage. Today, genial simply means "cheerful, jovial, kind." Speaking of jovial, can you explain how it's slightly different from genial? And what does the "jov" part mean, or where did it come from? Hint: think of mythology. make your point with... "GENIAL" Someone or something genial is kind, warm, friendly, and cheerful. Pronunciation: JEE nee ull Part of speech: Adjective. (Adjectives are describing words, like "large" or "late." They can be used in two ways: 1. Right before a noun, as in "a genial thing" or "a genial person." 2. After a linking verb, as in "It was genial" or "He was genial.") Other forms: genially, geniality, genialize (to make something cheerful, pleasant, or agreeable) How to use it: Talk about genial people and personalities, genial faces and expressions, genial comments and questions and laughter, genial conversation, genial moods and atmospheres, genial weather and conditions, genial meetings and gatherings and other events, genial shows and films and stories, and so on. examples: Just before bedtime, we savor a genial hour of rest and play in the family room. Our three-year-old is growing chattier, sometimes providing a kind of genial narration: "You dropped this, Mommy, you dropped this; it's okay, you can pick it up, I can help you." study it now: Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "genial" means when you can explain it without saying "sunny" or "convivial." try it out: Fill in the blanks: "When it comes to (something you find a little unconvincing, or something you mildly dislike), I'm a (skeptic or critic), but a genial (skeptic or critic)." Example: "When it comes to her reasons for avoiding the Oxford comma, I'm a skeptic, but a genial skeptic." before you review: Spend at least 20 seconds occupying your mind with the game below. Then try the review questions. Don’t go straight to the review now—let your working memory empty out first. Our game this month is called "Cousins or Strangers?" Consider two pairs of similar-looking words, and figure out which pair are truly related, like cousins, and which pair are unrelated, like strangers. "Related," of course, is a relative concept (ha ha). We're interested in closeness: "compute" and "computer" are sisters, or variations of the same word; "vision" and "video" are cousins, sharing the same Latin root; but "compute" and "video" are strangers. From our previous issue: Pair A: FAST and FASTIDIOUS. These are the strangers: there's no underlying sense of speed in "fastidious," which comes straight from a Latin word (fastidiosus) meaning "exacting" and "squeamish." Pair B: EUCALYPTUS and APOCALYPSE. These are the cousins. Charles Louis L'héritier de Brutelle, a French botanist who lived from 1746-1800, invented the word "eucalyptus" by combining Greek roots meaning "well" (eu) and "coverered" (kalyptos). That same kalyptos gave us "apocalypse," which in its original sense was a revelation: literally an uncovering. Ready to check out two more pairs? Remember, one pair will be cousins; the other, strangers. Which is which? Pair A: QUART and QUARANTINE Pair B: HANG and HANGNAIL review today's word: 1. One opposite of GENIAL is A. SURLY B. EAGER C. WINSOME 2. Chad is endlessly genial, often _____. A. asking to hear all sides of an issue before making a judgment B. smiling, whistling, humming, or making puns C. taking on ambitious projects Answers are below. a final word: To be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact Liesl at Liesl@HiloTutor.com Disclaimer: Word meanings presented here are expressed in plain language and are limited to common, useful applications only. Readers interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words are encouraged to check a dictionary. Likewise, word meanings, usage, and pronunciations are limited to American English; these elements may vary across world Englishes. Answers to review questions: 1. A 2. B