generation etymology

Etymology

The word "generation" comes from the Latin word "generatio," which means "a begetting, breeding, or producing." It is derived from the verb "generare," which means "to beget, bear, or produce."

Meaning

• The act or process of begetting or producing offspring.
• A group of people who were born at approximately the same time and who share a common point of view, experience, or culture.
• A period of time, typically about 20 years, during which a new generation is born and replaces the previous one.

Origin

The concept of generation has been around for centuries. In the ancient world, the idea of generations was often associated with the cyclical nature of the universe. In Greek mythology, Hesiod described five "ages" of man, each of which represented a different stage of human development. In the Bible, the Torah tells the story of the generations from Adam and Eve to the Israelites, highlighting the transformative nature of time and the continuity of the human lineage.

Over time, the concept of generation became more nuanced and specific. In the 19th century, the sociologist Auguste Comte coined the term "generation gap" to describe the perceived tension between generations. In the 20th century, the historian Karl Mannheim developed the theory of generational units, which argued that generations are shaped by their specific historical experiences.

Today, the term "generation" is used in a variety of contexts, from biology to sociology to popular culture. It remains a powerful and versatile concept that captures the interconnectedness of people across time and space.

generation relate terms

• gender

  Etymology The word gender derives from the Latin word genus which means kind or t

• generation

  Etymology The word generation comes from the Latin word generatio which means a beg

• generable

  Etymology From Latin generabilis meaning able to be generated Root word generare

• generation

  Etymology The word generation comes from the Latin word generatio which means a beg

• generate

  Etymology The study of the origin of words and the way in which their meaning has changed

• genesis

  Etymology The word genesis is derived from the Greek word γένεσις génesis

• multiplication

  Etymology The word multiplication comes from the Latin word multiplicatio which is

• procreation

  Etymology From Medieval Latin procreatio a begetting from Latin procreare to beg

• kindly

  Etymology The word kindly is derived from the Old English word cyndelic which means

• tradition

  Etymology Latin traditio traditionis a handing over delivery transmission surren

• genealogy

  Etymology The word genealogy comes from the Greek words genos meaning race family

• production

  Etymology Latin producere meaning to draw forth lead out bring forward From pro

• propagation

  Etymology Latin prōpāgātiō from prōpāgāre to lead or draw forth to extend t

• biogenesis

  Etymology bio Greek life genesis Greek birth origin Meaning Biogenesis refe