different between kindly vs genial

English

Pronunciation

• (US) IPA^(key): /?ka?ndli/

Etymology 1

From Middle English kyndely, kyndeliche, from Old English cyndel?? (“natural, kindly”); equivalent to kind +? -ly.

Adjective

kindly (comparative kindlier, superlative kindliest)

1. Having a kind personality; kind, warmhearted, sympathetic.

   • The shade by which my life was crossed […] has made me kindly with my kind.

2. (dated) Favourable, gentle, pleasant, tidy, auspicious, beneficent.
3. (archaic) Lawful.
4. (obsolete) Natural; inherent to the kind or race.

   • the kindly fruits of the earth

   • November 5, 1609, Lancelot Andrewes, A Sermon Preached before the King's Majesty at Whitehall

     Whatsoever as the Son of God he may do, it is kindly for Him as the Son of Man to save the sons of men.

Derived terms

• kindlily
• kindliness
• kindly tenant
• unkindly

Translations

Etymology 2

From Middle English kyndly, kyndely, kyndeliche, kundeliche, from Old English ?ecyndel??e, equivalent to kind +? -ly.

Adverb

kindly (comparative more kindly, superlative most kindly)

1. In a kind manner, out of kindness.
2. In a favourable way.
3. Used to make a polite request: please.
4. (US) With kind acceptance; used with take.

5. (dialectal) Kind of, somewhat.
6. (archaic) Readily.
7. (obsolete) Naturally.

Usage notes

• (please): Kindly is used in a slightly more peremptory way than please. It is generally used to introduce a request with which the person addressed is expected to comply, and takes the edge off what would otherwise be a command.
• (with kind acceptance): This sense is a negative polarity item; it is usually found in questions and negative statements, as in the above example sentences.

Synonyms

• (in a kind manner): thoughtfully
• (used to make polite requests): be so kind as to, please

Derived terms

• take kindly

Translations

Further reading

• “kindly”, in Merriam–Webster Online Dictionary, (Please provide a date or year).

English

Etymology 1

From Middle French génial, from Latin geni?lis (“of or pertaining to marriage; festive, genial”), from genius (“guardian spirit”) + -?lis.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?d?i?n??l/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?d?inj?l/, /-ni.?l/
• Hyphenation: ge?ni?al

Adjective

genial (comparative more genial, superlative most genial)

1. Friendly and cheerful.
2. (especially of weather) Pleasantly mild and warm.
3. Marked by genius.
   • 1826, Julius Hare, Guesses at Truth by Two Brothers

     Men of genius have so often attacht the highest value to their less genial works.

   • 2003, Laura Fermi, Gilberto Bernardini, Galileo and the Scientific Revolution, Courier Dover Publications, page 111 [1]:

     About fifty years later, in 1675, the Danish astronomer Ole Roemer (1644-1710) had the genial idea of using astronomical rather than terrestrial distances.

4. (archaic) Contributing to, or concerned in, propagation or production; generative; procreative; productive.
   • Creator Venus, genial power of love.

5. (obsolete) Belonging to one's genius or natural character; native; natural; inborn.

Derived terms

• congenial

Related terms

Translations

Etymology 2

From Ancient Greek ??????? (géneion, “chin”) + -al.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /d???n???l/, /-?ni??l/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /d???na??l/, /-?ni.?l/
• Hyphenation: ge?ni?al

Adjective

genial (not comparable)

1. (anatomy) Relating to the chin; genian.

Anagrams

• Eaglin, Ealing, igneal, linage

Catalan

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin geni?lis.

Pronunciation

• (Balearic, Central) IPA^(key): /??.ni?al/
• (Valencian) IPA^(key): /d??e.ni?al/

Adjective

genial (masculine and feminine plural genials)

1. genius
2. brilliant, great

Derived terms

• genialment

Related terms

• geni
• genialitat

Further reading

• “genial” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.

German

Etymology

Shortening of earlier genialisch.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?e?ni?a?l/
• Rhymes: -a?l

Adjective

genial (comparative genialer, superlative am genialsten)

1. genius, ingenious, genial (in the sense of genius)
2. (colloquial) excellent

   Synonyms: klasse, hervorragend

Declension

Derived terms

• kongenial

Further reading

• “genial” in Duden online

Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology

From Latin genialis

Adjective

genial (neuter singular genialt, definite singular and plural geniale)

1. ingenious, brilliant

Related terms

• geni

References

• “genial” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology

From Latin genialis

Adjective

genial (neuter singular genialt, definite singular and plural geniale)

1. ingenious, brilliant

Related terms

• geni

References

• “genial” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

Portuguese

Adjective

genial m or f (plural geniais, comparable)

1. genial (marked by genius)
2. genius (very clever)

Romanian

Etymology

From French génial.

Adjective

genial m or n (feminine singular genial?, masculine plural geniali, feminine and neuter plural geniale)

1. (literally) ingenious, characteristic of a genius
2. (informal) great, fantastic, awesome

Declension

Spanish

Etymology

From Latin geni?lis (“of or relating to marriage; festive, genial”), from genius (“guardian spirit”) + -?lis.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /xe?njal/, [xe?njal]

Adjective

genial (plural geniales)

1. great, cool, neat

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:guay

2. splendid, gorgeous

   Synonym: espléndido

3. ingenious

   Synonym: ingenioso

4. genial, pleasant

Derived terms

• genialmente

Related terms

• genialidad
• genio

Further reading

• “genial” in Diccionario de la lengua española, Vigésima tercera edición, Real Academia Española, 2014.