genital
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
adj.relating to the outer sexual organs of a person or animal.
adj.pertaining to the external reproductive organs or genitalia.
Simple“The doctor checked for any signs of a genital infection during the exam.”
In context“The patient presented with a persistent genital rash that had failed to respond to over-the-counter topical treatments.”
UsageUsually placed before the noun it describes.
Teacher's tipWhile the word itself is neutral and medical, it is rarely used in casual social conversation unless discussing health.
Synonyms - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.the outer sexual organs of the body.
n.the external sex organs; almost exclusively used in the plural form 'genitals'.
Simple“The athlete wore a protective guard to prevent injury to his genitals.”
In context“In many mammalian species, the morphology of the male genitals is a key factor in taxonomic classification.”
UsageAlmost always used in the plural form 'genitals'.
Teacher's tipIn formal or medical writing, 'genitalia' is often preferred over 'genitals'.
PitfallThe doctor examined his genital. The doctor examined his genitals.When used as a noun to refer to the organs, it is almost always plural.
From Middle English genital, from Latin genitalis (“of or belonging to generation”), from genitus, past participle of gignō (“to beget, generate”); see genus.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.