gen·er·a (jěn'ər-ə) n. Plural of genus. |
ge·nus (jē'nəs) n. pl. gen·er·a (jěn'ər-ə)
[Latin, kind; see genə- in Indo-European roots.] |
genus ge·nus (jē'nəs)
n. pl. gen·er·a (jěn'ər-ə)
A taxonomic category ranking below a family and above a species and generally consisting of a group of species exhibiting similar characteristics.
| genus (jē'nəs) Pronunciation Key
Plural genera (jěn'ər-ə) A group of organisms ranking above a species and below a family. The names of genera, like those of species, are written in italics. For example, Periplaneta is the genus of the American cockroach, and comes from the Greek for "wandering about." See Table at taxonomy. |