English Reference
noun · verb

genre

n. · v.
US /ˈʒɑnɹə/ UK /ʒˈɒnɹɐ/ genre UK spelling genre's, genre's

  1. 01 B2 Upper Intermediate

    n.a particular type or style of literature, art, or music.

    n.a stylistic category or sort, especially of literature, film, or other artworks, defined by shared conventions.

    Simple

    My favourite film genre is science fiction because I love stories about the future.

    In context

    The novel successfully blends elements of the gothic horror genre with modern psychological suspense, creating a unique reading experience.

  2. 02 C2 Proficiency AcademicTechnical

    v.to put something into a specific category or style.

    v.to assign a work to a specific genre or to make a piece of media conform to genre-specific conventions.

    Simple

    Critics often genre his work as 'urban fantasy' even though he disagrees.

    In context

    The studio attempted to genre the script as a romantic comedy, despite its darker underlying themes of social isolation.

    Usage

    often used in passive constructions or academic criticism.

Throughout the genre’s history, female country artists could be treated as window dressing for the male main attractions.

The Conversation· 28 Aug 2026

Unadapted borrowing from French genre, from Old French gen(d)re, borrowed from Latin genere. Doublet of gender and genus.

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

This entry
Origin Latin genus
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Common
Updated