genus

Everyday

1. (science) A genus is a group of closely related kinds (species) of living things; it is a step in how scientists sort life. tree →
2. (formal) A genus can mean any kind or class of things. tree →

In the lessons

In science lessons living things are sorted in steps: kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, species. The scientific name of a living thing has two parts: the genus first, then the species, like Homo sapiens for humans or Panthera leo for lions. The genus name starts with a capital letter and is written in italics.

Examples

• Lions and tigers belong to the same genus, Panthera. tree →
• Humans are the only living species in the genus Homo. tree →
• The genus name always comes first in a scientific name. tree →
• Write the genus with a capital letter: Canis lupus. tree →
• Scientists found a new genus of frog in the rainforest. tree →
• One genus can include many species. tree →
• Perrault's Toads and Diamonds is of the same genus. tree →

Note

Plural: genera (not «genuses» in science). Countable: one genus, two genera. Genus is bigger than species but smaller than family. Do not confuse with «genius», a very clever person.

In Jewish tradition

In science lessons living things are sorted in steps: kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, species. The scientific name of a living thing has two parts: the genus first, then the species, like Homo sapiens for humans or Panthera leo for lions. The genus name starts with a capital letter and is written in italics.

Examples

• Notwithstanding the decay of the individual, the genus is produced by the antithesis of man and wife. (Sefer Yetzirah, Kalisch 1877) tree →

Note

Plural: genera (not «genuses» in science). Countable: one genus, two genera. Genus is bigger than species but smaller than family. Do not confuse with «genius», a very clever person.