What does "genial" mean?

Genial: Contributing to, or concerned in, propagation or production; generative; procreative; productive. "The genial bed." Milton. Creator Venus, genial power of love. Dryden.

Additional senses

2.Contributing to, and sympathizing with, the enjoyment of life; sympathetically cheerful and cheering; jovial and inspiring joy or happiness; exciting pleasure and sympathy; enlivening; kindly; as, she was of a cheerful and genial disposition. So much I feel my genial spirits droop. Milton.
3.Belonging to one's genius or natural character; native; natural; inborn. [Obs.] Natural incapacity and genial indisposition. Sir T. Browne.
4.Denoting or marked with genius [R.] Men of genius have often attached the highest value to their less genial works. Hare. Genial gods (Pagan Mythol.), the powers supposed to preside over marriage and generation.

Sources

Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).
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Published: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00 · Modified: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00