genial

UK: /ˈdʒiːniəl/

US: /ˈdʒinjəl, ˈdʒiniəl/

US: ( jēn′yəl, jē′nē əl; Anat. jə nī′əl)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

gen•ial¹ /ˈdʒinyəl, ˈdʒiniəl/   adj. 

1. warmly and pleasantly cheerful; cordial:
   a genial disposition.
2. pleasantly warm;
   comfortably mild:
   a genial climate.

ge•ni•al•i•ty /ˌdʒiniˈælɪti/  n. [uncountable]
gen•ial•ly, adv. 

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

gen•ial¹  ( jēn′yəl, jē′nē əl), adj. 

1. warmly and pleasantly cheerful; cordial:
   a genial disposition; a genial host.
2. favorable for life, growth, or comfort;
   pleasantly warm;
   comfortably mild:
   the genial climate of Hawaii.
3. characterized by genius.

• Latin geniālis festive, jovial, pleasant, equivalent. to geni(us) tutelary deity, the spirit of social enjoyment + -ālis -al¹
• 1560–70

gen′ial•ly, adv. 
ge•ni•al•i•ty  ( jē′nē al′i tē), gen′ial•ness, n.  Synonyms

• 1. friendly, hearty, pleasant, agreeable.

ge•ni•al²  ( jə nī′əl), adj. [Anat., Zool.]

1. Anatomy, Zoology of or pertaining to the chin.

• Greek génei(on) chin, derivative of gén(ys) jaw (compare Latin gena) + -al¹
• 1825–35

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

genial / ˈdʒiːnjəl -nɪəl/ adjective

1. cheerful, easy-going, and warm in manner or behaviour
2. pleasantly warm, so as to give life, growth, or health

Etymology: 16th Century: from Latin geniālis relating to birth or marriage, from genius tutelary deity; see genius

geniality / ˌdʒiːnɪˈælɪtɪ/, ˈgenialness noun

ˈgenially adverb

genial / dʒɪˈniːəl/ adjective

1. of or relating to the chin

Etymology: 19th Century: from Greek geneion, from genus jaw