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genetically

adv.
US //dʒəˈnɛtɪkɫi// UK //dʒɛnˈɛtɪkli// ge·net·i·cal·ly
  1. 1 biological inheritance (adv.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Academic Science

    in a way that relates to genes or the DNA you get from your parents.

    in a manner relating to genes, heredity, or the study of genetics.

    Example

    Some people are genetically more likely to have blue eyes than others.

    Example

    Researchers are investigating whether certain populations are genetically predisposed to these metabolic conditions due to long-term environmental adaptations.

    Usage

    Often used to modify adjectives like 'modified', 'predisposed', or 'encoded'.
  2. 2 origin or development (adv.)
    C1 Advanced Academic Formal

    relating to how something started or developed over time.

    relating to the origin, historical development, or causal antecedents of a phenomenon.

    Example

    The two different styles of music are genetically related through a common ancestor.

    Example

    The essay argues that these legal concepts are genetically linked to Roman law, despite their modern appearance.

    Teacher's tip

    This is a figurative use; it treats the history of an idea or object like biological DNA.
  3. 3 language families (adv.)
    C2 Proficiency Technical Academic Science

    describing languages that come from the same original language.

    relating to the relationship between languages that descend from a common proto-language.

    Example

    English and German are genetically related because they both come from an older Germanic language.

    Example

    Comparative linguists use specific phonetic markers to prove that these two language groups are genetically related rather than just sharing borrowed vocabulary.
    • genealogically
Origin

From genetic + -ally or genetical + -ly.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

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Last updated June 20, 2026