# genital

/ˈdʒɛnətəɫ/ (US) · /dʒˈɛnɪtəl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/genital
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. relating to sexual organs

adjective · CEFR B2 · Technical

relating to the outer sexual organs of a person or animal.

For teachers: pertaining to the external reproductive organs or genitalia.

- The doctor checked for any signs of a genital infection during the exam.
- The patient presented with a persistent genital rash that had failed to respond to over-the-counter topical treatments.

Usage: Usually placed before the noun it describes.

Teaching tip: While the word itself is neutral and medical, it is rarely used in casual social conversation unless discussing health.

### 2. sexual organs

noun · CEFR B2 · Technical

the outer sexual organs of the body.

For teachers: the external sex organs; almost exclusively used in the plural form 'genitals'.

- The athlete wore a protective guard to prevent injury to his genitals.
- In many mammalian species, the morphology of the male genitals is a key factor in taxonomic classification.

Usage: Almost always used in the plural form 'genitals'.

Teaching tip: In formal or medical writing, 'genitalia' is often preferred over 'genitals'.

## Examples

- The doctor checked for any genital infections during the exam.
- The patient reported a persistent rash in the genital area and was prescribed a topical cream.
- Medical students must learn to identify various genital pathologies with clinical precision while maintaining a professional and respectful bedside manner during physical examinations.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.