genre

noun

ˈzhän-rə How to pronounce genre (audio)
ˈzhäⁿ-;
ˈzhäⁿr;
ˈjän-rə
Synonyms of genrenext
1
: a category of artistic, musical, or literary composition characterized by a particular style, form, or content
a classic of the gothic novel genre
2
: kind, sort
3
: painting that depicts scenes or events from everyday life usually realistically

Did you know?

Genre, as you might guess from the way it sounds, comes straight from French, a language based on Latin. It's closely related to genus, a word you may have encountered in biology class. Both words contain the gen- root because they indicate that everything in a particular category (a genre or a genus) belongs to the same "family" and thus has the same origins. So the main genres of classical music would include symphonies, sonatas, and opera, and the major genres of literature would include novels, short stories, poetry, and drama. But within the category of novels, we could also say that detective novels, sci-fi novels, romance novels, and young-adult novels are separate genres.

Synonyms

See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus 

Examples of genre in a Sentence

In genre fiction there is an implied contract between writer and reader that justice of a kind will be exacted; "good" may not always triumph over "evil," but the distinction between the two must be honored. —Joyce Carol Oates, New York Review of Books, 14 Aug. 2003
One of the first marketers outside of hip-hop to recognize the power of the genre …  . he first sent models sashaying down the runway in 1991 in hip-hop chic, with sneakers and chunky gold chains … —Johnnie L. Roberts, Newsweek, 2 Sept. 2002
Even the local Catholic archdiocesan weekly, hardly an exciting genre, offers a more provocative sampling of opinion on its editorial page. —Walker Percy, "New Orleans Mon Amour," 1968, in Signposts in a Strange Land,  1991
This book is a classic of the mystery genre. the novel's hero is of a different genre than the traditional kind
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Murakami masterfully blends genres and themes in this dark sci-fi coming-of-age story. —Theara Coleman, theweek, 6 Nov. 2024 To be sure, the genre of science fiction isn’t necessarily popular with readers in China. —H.m.a. Leow, JSTOR Daily, 5 Nov. 2024 Hip-hop’s involvement in social justice is hardly new; the genre has long served as a platform for cultural commentary and political activism. —Shelby Stewart, Essence, 5 Nov. 2024 Being a music historian, [my colleagues and I] talk a lot about that in African American music, no genre is completely new. —Chris Klimek, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for genre 

Word History

Etymology

French, from Middle French, kind, gender — more at gender

First Known Use

1770, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of genre was in 1770

Phrases Containing genre

Dictionary Entries Near genre

-genous

genre

genro

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Genre.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/genre. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

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Kids Definition

genre

noun
ˈzhän-rə How to pronounce genre (audio)
ˈzhäŋ-,
ˈjän-rə
: a particular type or category of literary, musical, or artistic composition
Etymology

French

More from Merriam-Webster on genre

Nglish: Translation of genre for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of genre for Arabic Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about genre

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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