genial

See also: génial

English

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Middle French génial, borrowed from Latin geniālis (“of or pertaining to marriage; festive”), from genius (“guardian spirit”) + -ālis.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈdʒiːnɪəl/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈd͡ʒinjəl/, /-ni.əl/

• Audio (General American):

  (file)

• Rhymes: (Received Pronunciation) -iːnɪəl
• Hyphenation: ge‧ni‧al

Adjective

genial (comparative more genial, superlative most genial)

1. Friendly and cheerful; enlivening.

   a genial glow

   • 1849, Currer Bell [pseudonym; Charlotte Brontë], “(please specify the page)”, in Shirley. A Tale. […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), London: Smith, Elder and Co., […], →OCLC:

     Such a face was calculated to awaken not only the calm sentiment of esteem, the distant one of admiration, but some feeling more tender, genial, intimate—friendship, perhaps, affection, interest.

   • 1913, Henry James, A Small Boy and Others‎^[1]:

     This genial girl, like her brother, was in the grand situation of having no home and of carrying on life, such a splendid kind of life, by successive visits to relations; […] .

   • 1920, Temple Bailey, The Trumpeter Swan‎^[2]:

     There had been the shine of candles, and the laughter of the women, the old Judge's genial humor.

   • 1953 March, Baynham Honri, “Filming "The Titfield Thunderbolt"”, in Railway Magazine, page 164:

     George Relph plays the part of the Vicar of the Parish, a railway enthusiast, who becomes amateur engine driver, with Sir Godfrey Tearle (the Bishop) as his fireman, while Stanley Holloway is the genial toper who provides the cash to buy the line.

   • 2001 July 9, Jeffrey Goldberg, “Letter From Gaza: The Martyr Strategy”, in The Atlantic‎^[3]:

     [Abdullah] Shami, a genial and open-faced man of forty-five, greeted me warmly.

   • 2025 November 15, Robert Draper, “Once He Was ‘Just Asking Questions.’ Now Tucker Carlson Is the Question.”, in The New York Times‎^[4], New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC:

     Last month, Tucker Carlson’s genial interview with the white nationalist Nick Fuentes detonated a bomb that further fractured the Trump-era conservative movement he once helped galvanize.

     (Can we archive this URL?)

2. (especially weather) Pleasantly mild and warm.

   genial warmth

   • 1826, [Mary Shelley], The Last Man. […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC:

     We met other families on the Long Walk, enjoying like ourselves the return of the genial season.

3. (uncommon) Marked by genius.
   • 1826, Julius Hare, Guesses at Truth by Two Brothers:

     Men of genius have so often attacht the highest value to their less genial works.

   • 2003, Laura Fermi, Gilberto Bernardini, Galileo and the Scientific Revolution, Courier Dover Publications, page 111:

     About fifty years later, in 1675, the Danish astronomer Ole Roemer (1644-1710) had the genial idea of using astronomical rather than terrestrial distances.

4. (archaic, originally) Pertaining to marriage; nuptial.
   • 1667, John Milton, “Book VII”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:

     the genial bed

5. (archaic, by extension) Contributing to, or concerned in, propagation or production; generative; procreative; productive.
   • 1700, [John] Dryden, Fables Ancient and Modern; […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC:

     Creator Venus, genial power of love.

   • 1749, [John Cleland], “(Please specify the letter or volume)”, in Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure [Fanny Hill], London: […] [Thomas Parker] for G. Fenton [i.e., Fenton and Ralph Griffiths] […], →OCLC:

     The well breath'd youth, hot-mettled, and flush with genial juices, was now fairly in for making me know my driver.

   • 1843 December 19, Charles Dickens, “Stave Three. The Second of the Three Spirits.”, in A Christmas Carol. […], London: Chapman & Hall, […], →OCLC, page 85:

     In time the bells ceased, and the bakers were shut up; and yet there was a genial shadowing forth of all these dinners and the progress of their cooking, in the thawed blotch of wet above each baker's oven; where the pavement smoked as if its stones were cooking too.

   • 1868, Alfred Tennyson, “Lucretius”, in The Complete Poetical Works of Alfred Tennyson, Chicago, Ill.: The Dominion Company, published 1897, →OCLC, page 777:

     The all-generating powers and genial heat / Of Nature, when she strikes thro’ the thick blood / Of cattle, […]

6. (uncommon, obsolete) Belonging to one's genius or natural character; native; natural; inborn.
   • 1650, Thomas Browne, Pseudodoxia Epidemica: […], 2nd edition, London: […] A[braham] Miller, for Edw[ard] Dod and Nath[aniel] Ekins, […], →OCLC:

     natural incapacity and genial indisposition

7. (uncommon, Roman mythology) Relating to or resembling a genius (Roman tutelary deity).

Derived terms

• congenial
• geniality
• genialize
• genially
• genialness
• overgenial
• ungenial

Related terms

English terms derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *ǵenh₁- (0 c, 574 e)

Translations

friendly and cheerful

• Bulgarian: общителен (bg) (obštitelen), дружелюбен (bg) (druželjuben)
• Finnish: ystävällinen (fi), lempeä (fi)
• Georgian: მეგობრული (megobruli), გულთბილი (gultbili), კეთილი (ḳetili)
• Māori: hūmārie, hūmārika, hātai (of weather)
• Plautdietsch: schaftich
• Russian: дружелю́бный (ru) (druželjúbnyj), раду́шный (ru) (radúšnyj)
• Spanish: campechano (es)
• Welsh: rhadlon (cy)

pleasantly mild and warm

• Bulgarian: мек (bg) (mek)
• Finnish: leuto (fi), leppeä (fi)
• Georgian: გულთბილი (gultbili), თბილი (ka) (tbili), რბილი (rbili)

marked by genius

• Belarusian: генія́льны (hjenijálʹny)
• Bulgarian: гениален (bg) (genialen)
• Danish: genial
• Dutch: geniaal (nl)
• Finnish: nerokas (fi)
• French: génial (fr) m
• Georgian: გენიალური (genialuri)
• German: genial (de)
• Hungarian: zseniális (hu)
• Polish: genialny (pl)
• Portuguese: genial (pt) m or f
• Russian: гениа́льный (ru) (geniálʹnyj)
• Swedish: genial (sv)
• Ukrainian: геніа́льний (heniálʹnyj)

Etymology 2

From Ancient Greek γένειον (géneion, “chin”) + -al.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /dʒɪˈnʌɪəl/, /-ˈniːəl/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /d͡ʒəˈnaɪəl/, /-ˈni.əl/
• Rhymes: (General American) -aɪəl
• Hyphenation: ge‧ni‧al

Adjective

genial (not comparable)

1. (anatomy) Relating to the chin; genian.

Further reading

• William Dwight Whitney, Benjamin Eli Smith, editors (1895–1910), “genial”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., →OCLC.

Anagrams

• Ealing, galine, igneal, Neglia, linage, Eaglin

Catalan

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin geniālis.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Northern, Balearic, Central) [ʒə.niˈal]
• IPA^(key): (Valencia) [d͡ʒe.niˈal]
• IPA^(key): (Northwestern) [ʒe.niˈal]

• Audio (Barcelona):

  (file)

Adjective

genial m or f (masculine and feminine plural genials)

1. genius
2. brilliant, great

Derived terms

• genialment

Related terms

• geni
• genialitat

Further reading

• “genial”, in Diccionari de la llengua catalana [Dictionary of the Catalan Language] (in Catalan), second edition, Institute of Catalan Studies [Catalan: Institut d'Estudis Catalans], April 2007

German

Etymology

Clipping of earlier genialisch. Compare French génial, Spanish genial.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɡeˈni̯aːl/

• Audio (Austria):

  (file)

• Audio (Germany (Berlin)):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -aːl

Adjective

genial (strong nominative masculine singular genialer, comparative genialer, superlative am genialsten)

1. genius, ingenious, genial (in the sense of genius)
2. (colloquial) excellent

   Synonyms: klasse, hervorragend

Declension

Positive forms of genial

number & gender		singular			plural
		masculine	feminine	neuter
predicative		er ist genial	sie ist genial	es ist genial	sie sind genial
strong declension (without article)	nominative	genialer	geniale	geniales	geniale
	genitive	genialen	genialer	genialen	genialer
	dative	genialem	genialer	genialem	genialen
	accusative	genialen	geniale	geniales	geniale
weak declension (with definite article)	nominative	der geniale	die geniale	das geniale	die genialen
	genitive	des genialen	der genialen	des genialen	der genialen
	dative	dem genialen	der genialen	dem genialen	den genialen
	accusative	den genialen	die geniale	das geniale	die genialen
mixed declension (with indefinite article)	nominative	ein genialer	eine geniale	ein geniales	(keine) genialen
	genitive	eines genialen	einer genialen	eines genialen	(keiner) genialen
	dative	einem genialen	einer genialen	einem genialen	(keinen) genialen
	accusative	einen genialen	eine geniale	ein geniales	(keine) genialen

Comparative forms of genial

number & gender		singular			plural
		masculine	feminine	neuter
predicative		er ist genialer	sie ist genialer	es ist genialer	sie sind genialer
strong declension (without article)	nominative	genialerer	genialere	genialeres	genialere
	genitive	genialeren	genialerer	genialeren	genialerer
	dative	genialerem	genialerer	genialerem	genialeren
	accusative	genialeren	genialere	genialeres	genialere
weak declension (with definite article)	nominative	der genialere	die genialere	das genialere	die genialeren
	genitive	des genialeren	der genialeren	des genialeren	der genialeren
	dative	dem genialeren	der genialeren	dem genialeren	den genialeren
	accusative	den genialeren	die genialere	das genialere	die genialeren
mixed declension (with indefinite article)	nominative	ein genialerer	eine genialere	ein genialeres	(keine) genialeren
	genitive	eines genialeren	einer genialeren	eines genialeren	(keiner) genialeren
	dative	einem genialeren	einer genialeren	einem genialeren	(keinen) genialeren
	accusative	einen genialeren	eine genialere	ein genialeres	(keine) genialeren

Superlative forms of genial

number & gender		singular			plural
		masculine	feminine	neuter
predicative		er ist am genialsten	sie ist am genialsten	es ist am genialsten	sie sind am genialsten
strong declension (without article)	nominative	genialster	genialste	genialstes	genialste
	genitive	genialsten	genialster	genialsten	genialster
	dative	genialstem	genialster	genialstem	genialsten
	accusative	genialsten	genialste	genialstes	genialste
weak declension (with definite article)	nominative	der genialste	die genialste	das genialste	die genialsten
	genitive	des genialsten	der genialsten	des genialsten	der genialsten
	dative	dem genialsten	der genialsten	dem genialsten	den genialsten
	accusative	den genialsten	die genialste	das genialste	die genialsten
mixed declension (with indefinite article)	nominative	ein genialster	eine genialste	ein genialstes	(keine) genialsten
	genitive	eines genialsten	einer genialsten	eines genialsten	(keiner) genialsten
	dative	einem genialsten	einer genialsten	einem genialsten	(keinen) genialsten
	accusative	einen genialsten	eine genialste	ein genialstes	(keine) genialsten

Derived terms

• kongenial

Further reading

• “genial” in Duden online
• “genial”, in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache‎^[5] (in German)

Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology

From Latin genialis.

Adjective

genial (neuter singular genialt, definite singular and plural geniale)

1. ingenious, brilliant

Related terms

• geni

References

• “genial” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology

From Latin genialis.

Adjective

genial (neuter singular genialt, definite singular and plural geniale)

1. ingenious, brilliant

Related terms

• geni

References

• “genial” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

Portuguese

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Latin geniālis (“of or pertaining to marriage; festive”), from genius (“guardian spirit”) + -ālis.

Pronunciation

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ʒe.niˈaw/ [ʒe.niˈaʊ̯], (faster) /ʒeˈnjaw/ [ʒeˈnjaʊ̯]

 

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ʒɨˈnjal/ [ʒɨˈnjaɫ]

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ʒɨˈnjal/ [ʒɨˈnjaɫ]
  • (Southern Portugal) IPA^(key): /ʒɨˈnja.li/

• Audio (Portugal (Porto)):

  (file)

• Rhymes: (Portugal) -al, (Brazil) -aw
• Hyphenation: ge‧ni‧al

Adjective

genial m or f (plural geniais)

1. genial (marked by genius)
2. genius (very clever)

Derived terms

• congenial
• genialmente

Further reading

• “genial”, in Dicionário Aulete Digital (in Portuguese), Rio de Janeiro: Lexikon Editora Digital, 2008–2026
• “genial”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2026

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from French génial.

Adjective

genial m or n (feminine singular genială, masculine plural geniali, feminine/neuter plural geniale)

1. (literally) ingenious, characteristic of a genius
2. (informal) great, fantastic, awesome

Declension

Declension of genial

		singular			plural
		masculine	neuter	feminine	masculine	neuter	feminine
nominative- accusative	indefinite	genial		genială	geniali	geniale
	definite	genialul		geniala	genialii	genialele
genitive- dative	indefinite	genial		geniale	geniali	geniale
	definite	genialului		genialei	genialilor	genialelor

Spanish

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin geniālis (“of or relating to marriage; festive, genial”), from genius (“guardian spirit”) + -ālis.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /xeˈnjal/ [xeˈnjal]
• Rhymes: -al
• Syllabification: ge‧nial

Adjective

genial m or f (masculine and feminine plural geniales)

1. (originally) ingenious, genius

   Synonym: ingenioso

2. great, very good
3. (literary) genial, pleasant
4. (literary) splendid, gorgeous

   Synonym: espléndido

Derived terms

• genialmente

Related terms

• genialidad
• genio

Adverb

genial

1. very well

   ¡Espero que hoy te vaya genial!

   I hope your day goes great!

Further reading

• “genial”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8.1, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 15 December 2025

Swedish

Adjective

genial (comparative genialare, superlative genialast)

1. brilliant, "genius"

   Synonym: genialisk

   en genial lösning

   a brilliant solution

Declension

Inflection of genial

Indefinite	positive	comparative	superlative1
common singular	genial	genialare	genialast
neuter singular	genialt	genialare	genialast
plural	geniala	genialare	genialast
masculine plural2	geniale	genialare	genialast
Definite	positive	comparative	superlative
masculine singular3	geniale	genialare	genialaste
all	geniala	genialare	genialaste

¹ The indefinite superlative forms are only used in the predicative.
² Dated or archaic.
³ Only used, optionally, to refer to things whose natural gender is masculine.

See also

• sinnrik (“ingenious”)

References

• “genial”, in Svensk ordbok [Dictionary of Swedish] (in Swedish)
• “genial”, in Svenska Akademiens ordlista [Wordlist of the Swedish Academy] (in Swedish)
• “genial”, in Svenska Akademiens ordbok [Dictionary of the Swedish Academy] (in Swedish)