genuine

genuine — adjective

1. describes an object that really is what it claims or appears to be, rather than

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

describes an object that really is what it claims or appears to be, rather than being a copy or an imitation.

Example

The antique dealer confirmed that the vase was genuine Ming porcelain from the 15th century.

genuine + [period/material] — product authenticity

Lien only buys genuine leather handbags because fake materials do not last as long.

genuine + leather / genuine + material

Common collocations
  • genuine leather
  • genuine gold
  • genuine antique
  • genuine article
  • genuine product
  • genuine parts
  • genuine signature
Synonyms
  • real

    more common in everyday speech; 'genuine' sounds more formal or commercial

  • authentic

    often used for cultural, historical, or artistic items whose origin is certified

  • actual

    emphasises that something is a fact rather than a belief or theory

Antonyms
  • fake

    the most direct opposite; deliberately made to deceive

  • counterfeit

    specifically of currency, documents, or branded goods produced illegally

  • artificial

    made by human skill rather than occurring naturally; not always deceptive

Grammar Patterns

be + genuine

genuine + noun (material/product)

Usage Note

Common with nouns that name materials (leather, gold, silk) or branded products. Often appears in commercial or authentication contexts where the risk of counterfeits is high. Distinguish from 'real': 'real leather' can be low-quality but still animal hide; 'genuine leather' emphasises that the item is not a synthetic imitation.

Common Mistakes

She wanted to buy a genuine bag from the night market.
She wanted to buy a real leather bag from the night market.
'genuine' before a general noun like 'bag' sounds commercial; pair it with the material (genuine leather) or use 'real' for casual contexts.
This is a genuine antique watch.' (correct but unhelpful without context)
The dealer said the watch is a genuine antique from the 1920s.
add a time or origin phrase to make the claim meaningful.

2. describes a person, feeling, or reaction that is honest and not pretended, so th

2.adjectiveB2
Definition

describes a person, feeling, or reaction that is honest and not pretended, so that others can trust what they see or hear.

Example

Hugo's apology sounded so genuine that everyone in the office believed he meant it.

genuine + apology / genuine + reaction

Mauricio showed a genuine interest in the local festivals by asking thoughtful questions.

genuine + interest / genuine + curiosity

Common collocations
  • genuine concern
  • genuine interest
  • genuine smile
  • genuine emotion
  • genuine apology
  • genuine relief
  • genuine happiness
  • genuine affection
Synonyms
  • sincere

    very close in meaning; 'sincere' emphasises freedom from hypocrisy

  • honest

    broader; can describe facts, statements, or people, not just feelings

  • heartfelt

    stronger emotional weight; used with apologies, thanks, sympathy

Antonyms
  • insincere

    the most direct opposite; pretending to feel something you do not

  • false

    broader; can describe statements, smiles, or emotions

  • hypocritical

    stronger moral judgement; saying one thing but doing another

Grammar Patterns

be + genuine

genuine + noun (feeling/reaction/person)

Usage Note

Subject is usually a person; object is an abstract noun for an emotion or character trait (concern, interest, smile, emotion, apology, relief, happiness). Frequently used in predicative position with 'be': 'Her relief was genuine'. Avoid using this sense for physical objects — that belongs to sense 1.

Common Mistakes

He is a genuine person.' (grammatically correct but vague)
He is a genuinely kind person.
the adverb 'genuinely' before a specific trait is more natural than 'genuine' before 'person'.
His interest in art seemed genuinely.
His interest in art seemed genuine.
after 'seemed', use the adjective 'genuine', not the adverb 'genuinely'.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All four words say that something is not false, but they suit different situations. 'Real' is the broadest and most everyday choice: you can say real leather, real love, or a real problem. 'Actual' focuses on facts rather than beliefs or theories — 'the actual cost was far higher than expected'. 'Genuine' is the best word when the main question is whether something is a counterfeit or an imitation, especially for products, materials, and branded goods: 'a genuine Rolex'. 'Authentic' overlaps with 'genuine' but leans toward cultural or historical items whose origin is officially certified: 'authentic Italian pasta', 'an authentic Picasso drawing'. When talking about feelings, both 'genuine' and 'authentic' work, but 'genuine' is far more common in everyday speech ('her surprise was genuine').

genuine ↗authentic ↗real ↗actual ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • genuine article
  • genuine leather
  • genuine interest
  • genuine concern
  • genuine smile
  • genuine emotion
  • genuine apology
  • genuine relief
  • genuine parts
  • genuine antique

Adverbs

  • truly genuine
  • completely genuine
  • absolutely genuine
  • apparently genuine

Phrases

  • the genuine article
  • something feels genuine
  • as genuine as can be

Prepositions

  • genuine in (her feelings)
  • genuine about (his intentions)

Etymology

LatinEnglish

'Genuine' came into English in the late 1500s from Latin 'genuinus', meaning native, natural, or inborn. The Latin word may come from 'gignere' (to give birth, to produce), which also gave us 'gene', 'generate', and 'generation'. The earliest English sense was 'belonging to one's original nature or birth', which later shifted to 'not artificial' and then to 'authentic and not counterfeit'. The sense for honest feelings (sincere) developed in the 1800s.