genuine
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
real and exactly what it appears to be; not a fake or a copy.
authentic and possessing the claimed character, origin, or purity; not counterfeit or spurious.
Simple“The shop owner guaranteed that the diamond ring was genuine and not a glass copy.”
In context“The museum curator spent months verifying that the painting was a genuine Rembrandt rather than a high-quality nineteenth-century imitation.”
UsageOften used to describe materials like leather, fur, or antique items.
Antonyms - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
honest and sincere in the way you behave or feel.
sincere and honest in character or emotion; free from hypocrisy or affectation.
Simple“He showed genuine concern for his friend's health by visiting him every day.”
In context“Her apology seemed genuine, as she took full responsibility for the error without offering any defensive excuses.”
Antonyms - 03 C2 Proficiency
belonging to the original group or type.
belonging to or proceeding from the original stock; native or pure-bred.
Simple“The scientist studied the genuine local plants that had grown there for centuries.”
In context“The researchers sought to identify the genuine descendants of the island's first inhabitants to better understand the historical migration patterns.”
UsageUsually found in technical or biological contexts regarding origins.
“It bore little relation to a genuine scientific debate; in fact, there was no evidence of a debate at all.”
“Scrubs is an amazing show with some genuine character development.”
From Latin genuīnus (“innate, native, natural”), from genus, from Proto-Indo-European *ǵenh₁-.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.