Genesis
/ˈdʒɛn.ə.sɪs/noun
The origin or beginning of something; also the first book of the Bible.
Did you know?Genesis comes from Greek and shares its root with words for birth, race, and generation—proof that the language of beginnings was literally the language of life emerging.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*ǵenh₁-
“to beget, give birth, come into being”
Ancient Greek
Greek
γένεσις (génesis)
“origin, creation, birth”
Late Latin
Latin
genesis
“origin, generation; the Book of Genesis”
Old French
Old French
genèse
“origin, beginning”
14th Century
English
genesis
“origin, beginning; the first book of the Bible”
Modern English
English
genesis
“the beginning or origin of something”