Short for generation; also a prefix meaning birth, origin, or production.
From Greek 'genos' meaning race, kind, or birth, via Latin 'genus.' As slang for generation, emerged in the 20th century; as a prefix, used in scientific terminology since the 18th century.
The versatility of 'gen' shows how one root has exploded into countless modern terms - from 'genetics' to 'Generation Z' to 'hydrogen.' It's one of the most productive word elements in English, appearing in fields from biology to technology to sociology.
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