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# gen

«gen» in Mova's school dictionary: **short for «generation», as in «Gen Z» or «Gen Alpha», a…** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 5 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it.

### part of speech

noun (gen — UK informal: information; Gen — short for generation; Gen. — General, Genesis); adverb (UK slang «gen» = genuinely)

### meaning for a pupil

1) (informal) «Gen» is short for «generation», as in «Gen Z» or «Gen Alpha», a group of people born around the same time. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/G/gen/#m1)

2) (UK slang) «Gen» means «genuinely» or «honestly»: «I'm gen tired». [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/G/gen/#m2)

3) (UK, informal, old-fashioned) «The gen» means the information or the facts: «give me the gen». [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/G/gen/#m3)

4) (abbreviation) «Gen.» is short for the army rank General, and «Gen» for the Bible book Genesis. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/G/gen/#m4)

### sense in the lessons

In everyday talk children hear «Gen Z» and «Gen Alpha» used about age groups, and in games «next-gen» means the newest version of consoles. In UK playground slang «gen» means «for real». In church and Bible lessons, «Gen 1:1» means Genesis, chapter one, verse one — the first verse of the Bible. In history, «Gen.» is a rank written before a name: «Gen. Washington».

### examples

- My older cousin says she is Gen Z. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/G/gen/#x1)
- Children born recently are sometimes called Gen Alpha. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/G/gen/#x2)
- «That was gen the best film ever», said Callum. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/G/gen/#x3)
- The new next-gen console came out at the weekend. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/G/gen/#x4)
- Look up Gen 1:1 — the first verse of the Bible. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/G/gen/#x5)
- Gen. Eisenhower led the soldiers. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/G/gen/#x6)
- Grandad asked for «the gen» on the school trip. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/G/gen/#x7)

### note

Mostly informal or an abbreviation, not a full word in careful writing; in essays write «generation», «genuinely», «General» or «Genesis». «Gen» is said with a soft «j» sound, like «jen». Do not confuse it with «gene» (part of DNA) or «gem» (a jewel).

### In the corpora

- [To "vibe" in Gen Z and Gen Alpha slang means to go with the feeling, without a plan.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/english/39-planning-before-writing/16/)
- [Gen Alpha children shout "skibidi" as a funny word that means nothing in particular.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/english/40-openings-that-hook-the-reader/18/)
- [Sam wants chess club; Jake says chess is «mid» — Gen Z for boring, nothing special.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/461-how-best-friends-start/20/)
- [«Girl, you ate!» says her big sister (Gen Z slang for «you look amazing»).](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/503-twins-and-big-families/28/)
- [«It's giving stranger,» Malachi mutters (Gen Z slang for «he's acting like a stranger»).](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/505-half-and-step-siblings/21/)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «gen» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/G/gen/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.