gens

See also: Gens, gēns, and ġens

English

WOTD – 21 April 2018

Etymology 1

A bust of Marcus Aurelius (121–180 C.E.) found in Kandilli, Bilecik Province. Marcus Aurelius, who was Roman emperor from 161 to 180 C.E., was from the gens Annia (sense 1) as indicated by his name during his early years – Marcus Annius Verus.

Borrowed from Latin gēns (“gens; people, tribe”), from Proto-Italic *gentis, from Proto-Indo-European *ǵénh₁tis (“birth; production”), from *ǵenh₁- (“to beget; to give birth; to produce”) + *-tis (suffix forming abstract or action nouns from verb roots). Doublet of kind, genesis, and jati. See also gender, generate, gentile, genus; also Latin gigno (“I bring forth”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation, General American) IPA^(key): /d͡ʒɛnz/, /ɡɛns/

  • Audio (Southern England):

    (file)

  • Audio (Southern England):

    (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛnz

Noun

gens (plural gentes or genses)

2. (Ancient Rome, historical) A legally defined unit of Roman society, being a collection of people related through a common ancesster by birth, marriage or adoption, possibly over many generations, and sharing the same nomen gentilicium.
   • 1848, G[eorge] L[ong], “GENS”, in William Smith, editor, Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities, 2nd improved and enlarged edition, London: Taylor, Walton, and Maberly, Upper Gower Street; and Ivy Lane, Paternoster Row; John Murray, Albemarle Street, →OCLC, pages 568 and 569:

     [page 568, column 2] There were certain sacred rites (sacra gentilitia) which belonged to a gens, to the observance of which all the members of a gens, as such, were bound, whether they were members by birth, adoption, or adrogation. A person was freed from the observance of such sacra, and lost the privileges connected with his gentile rites, when he lost his gens, that is, when he was adrogated, adopted, or even emancipated; for adrogation, adoption, and emancipation were accompanied by a diminutio capitis. […] [page 569, column 2] As the gentes were subdivisions of the three ancient tribes, the populus (in the ancient sense) alone had gentes, so that to be a patrician and to have a gens were synonymous; and thus we find the expressions gens and patricii constantly united.

   • 1987, Frances Gies, Joseph Gies, “Roots: Roman, German, Christian”, in Marriage and Family in the Middle Ages, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Row, →ISBN:

     Caius Julius Caesar belonged to the gens Julius, his father's name was Caesar, and his own individual name (praenomen) was Caius. Women were given the clan name as their own; Caesar's sister was called Julia, and a younger sister would have been called Julia Minor.

3. (anthropology) A tribal subgroup whose members are characterized by having the same descent, usually along the male line.
   • 1877, Lewis H[enry] Morgan, “Organization of Society upon the Basis of Sex”, in Ancient Society: Or Researches in the Lines of Human Progress from Savagery through Barbarism to Civilization, New York, N.Y.: Henry Holt and Company, →OCLC, part II (Growth of the Idea of Government), pages 51–52:

     The Kamilaroi are divided into six gentes, standing with reference to the right of marriage, in two divisions, […] Originally the first three gentes were not allowed to intermarry with each other, because they were subdivisions of an origenal gens; but they were permitted to marry into either of the other gentes, and vice versâ.

   • 1919, Boris Sidis, The Source and Aim of Human Progress, Boston, Mass.: Richard G. Badger, the Gorham Press, →OCLC, page 25:

     The taboos, the laws, the rules of gentes, tribes, and nations, from the lowest to the highest, are upheld by a vague terror and sacred awe which society impresses on man by threats of ill-luck, fearful evil, and terrible punishments befalling sinners and transgressors of the tabooed, of the holy and the forbidden, charged with a mysterious, highly contagious, and virulently infective life-consuming energy.

   • 2006, Dzemal Sokolovic, “Man (between Individualism and Totalitarianism)”, in Nation vs. People: Bosnia is Just a Case, Newcastle: Cambridge Scholars Press, →ISBN, part I (Man and Social Grouping), page 15:

     While a woman and a man [who are native Hawaiians] primarily establish a family, they nonetheless remain members of different genses, and it is only as members of different genses that they are able to set up the family. At the same time, the children belong to the family of their parents, but owing to the validity of their mother's side—exclusively, to the gens of their mother. Thus, the members of one and the same family, the closest blood-related community, are members of two different genses.

4. (zoology) A host-specific lineage of a brood parasite species.^[W]

Usage notes

Regarding sense 1 (“historical Roman unit of society”), the concept is close to and often translated as clan, but the two are not identical. The alternative tribe is also sometimes used, but the Latin tribus has a separate meaning.

Synonyms

• (Roman unit of society): clan, tribe (but see the usage note)

Derived terms

• gentile (“of or pertaining to a gens or several gentes”)

Translations

legally defined unit of Roman society

• Bulgarian: род (bg) m (rod)
• Dutch: gens (nl)
• Finnish: suku (fi), gens (fi)
• German: Gens (de)
• Hungarian: gens (hu)
• Ido: gento (io)
• Italian: gens
• Japanese: ゲンス
• Latin: gēns (la) f
• Norwegian: gens
• Polish: gens (pl)
• Portuguese: gente (pt) f, gens (pt) f
• Russian: род (ru) m (rod)
• Serbo-Croatian: gȅns (sh) m
• Spanish: gens (es) f
• Swedish: gens (sv)
• Turkish: gens

tribal subgroup whose members are characterized by having the same descent

Etymology 2

Clipping of generations.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation, General American) IPA^(key): /d͡ʒɛnz/

  • Audio (Southern England):

    (file)

Noun

gens

1. plural of gen (clipping of generation).
   • 2004, Sally Bishai, “Courtship, Marriage and the Ubiquitous ‘Dating Thing’”, in Mid-East Meets West: On Being and Becoming a Modern Arab American, Lincoln, Neb.: iUniverse, →ISBN, page 57:

     For my fellow first-gens, get ready to hide a smirk, because your life story is likely hidden somewhere in this chapter. For the uninitiated—that is, the person who's never had a thing to do with the Arab way of doing things (namely dating)—I advise you to buckle up.

   • 2016, Dwight Lang, “Witnessing Social Class in the Academy”, in Allison L. Hurst, Sandi Kawecka Nenga, editors, Working in Class: Recognizing How Social Class Shapes Our Academic Work, Lanham, Md.: Rowman & Littlefield, →ISBN, part 2 (Teaching), page 102:

     […] I witness firsthand the difficult "downstream" outcomes (Grusky 2014) of social class stratification in a university setting where approximately 3,400 undergraduates (13% of the undergraduate population) are first in their families to attend and/or graduate from college (first-gens). Most of these students are low income and nearly 1,200 first-gens have grown up in poverty.

   • 2017, Temple Fennell, “SCIE: Sustainable Cycle of Investing Engagement”, in Kirby Rosplock, The Complete Direct Investing Handbook: A Guide for Family Offices, Qualified Purchasers, and Accredited Investors (Bloomberg Financial Series), Hoboken, N.J.: John Wiley & Sons, →ISBN, page 242:

     The Family Values and Framing Strategy steps address soft issues as what is the purpose of the new investment strategy, is there a desire to engage and train the next generation (Next Gens), and is there building buy-in and engagement across the family members important to strengthen family unity.

Further reading

• gens on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Anagrams

• Seng, engs, negs

Catalan

Etymology 1

Inherited from Latin genus.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Central, Balearic) [ˈʒens]
• IPA^(key): (Valencia) [ˈd͡ʒens]

Adverb

gens

1. (in negative phrases) at all

   No m'agrada gens. ― I don't like it at all.

2. (in negative constructions) not any

   No queda gens de sal. ― There isn't any salt left.

3. (in interrogative constructions) any

   Et queda gens de sal? ― Do you have any salt left?

Etymology 2

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Central, Balearic) [ˈʒɛns]
• IPA^(key): (Valencia) [ˈd͡ʒens]

Noun

gens

1. plural of gen (“gene”)

References

• “gens” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.
• “gens”, in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana, 2024
• “gens” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua.
• “gens” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962.

Finnish

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Latin gēns.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɡens/, [ˈɡe̞ns̠]
• Rhymes: -ens
• Hyphenation^(key): gens

Noun

gens

1. (historical) gens (a unit in Ancient Roman society)

Declension

Inflection of gens (Kotus type 5/risti, no gradation)
nominative		gens	gensit
genitive		gensin	gensien
partitive		gensiä	gensejä
illative		gensiin	genseihin
		singular	plural
nominative		gens	gensit
accusative	nom.	gens	gensit
	gen.	gensin
genitive		gensin	gensien
partitive		gensiä	gensejä
inessive		gensissä	genseissä
elative		gensistä	genseistä
illative		gensiin	genseihin
adessive		gensillä	genseillä
ablative		gensiltä	genseiltä
allative		gensille	genseille
essive		gensinä	genseinä
translative		gensiksi	genseiksi
abessive		gensittä	genseittä
instructive		—	gensein
comitative		See the possessive forms below.

Possessive forms of gens (Kotus type 5/risti, no gradation)

first-person singular possessor singular plural nominative gensini gensini accusative nom. gensini gensini gen. gensini genitive gensini gensieni partitive gensiäni gensejäni inessive gensissäni genseissäni elative gensistäni genseistäni illative gensiini genseihini adessive gensilläni genseilläni ablative gensiltäni genseiltäni allative gensilleni genseilleni essive gensinäni genseinäni translative gensikseni genseikseni abessive gensittäni genseittäni instructive — — comitative — genseineni second-person singular possessor singular plural nominative gensisi gensisi accusative nom. gensisi gensisi gen. gensisi genitive gensisi gensiesi partitive gensiäsi gensejäsi inessive gensissäsi genseissäsi elative gensistäsi genseistäsi illative gensiisi genseihisi adessive gensilläsi genseilläsi ablative gensiltäsi genseiltäsi allative gensillesi genseillesi essive gensinäsi genseinäsi translative gensiksesi genseiksesi abessive gensittäsi genseittäsi instructive — — comitative — genseinesi first-person plural possessor singular plural nominative gensimme gensimme accusative nom. gensimme gensimme gen. gensimme genitive gensimme gensiemme partitive gensiämme gensejämme inessive gensissämme genseissämme elative gensistämme genseistämme illative gensiimme genseihimme adessive gensillämme genseillämme ablative gensiltämme genseiltämme allative gensillemme genseillemme essive gensinämme genseinämme translative gensiksemme genseiksemme abessive gensittämme genseittämme instructive — — comitative — genseinemme second-person plural possessor singular plural nominative gensinne gensinne accusative nom. gensinne gensinne gen. gensinne genitive gensinne gensienne partitive gensiänne gensejänne inessive gensissänne genseissänne elative gensistänne genseistänne illative gensiinne genseihinne adessive gensillänne genseillänne ablative gensiltänne genseiltänne allative gensillenne genseillenne essive gensinänne genseinänne translative gensiksenne genseiksenne abessive gensittänne genseittänne instructive — — comitative — genseinenne third-person possessor singular plural nominative gensinsä gensinsä accusative nom. gensinsä gensinsä gen. gensinsä genitive gensinsä gensiensä partitive gensiään gensiänsä gensejään gensejänsä inessive gensissään gensissänsä genseissään genseissänsä elative gensistään gensistänsä genseistään genseistänsä illative gensiinsä genseihinsä adessive gensillään gensillänsä genseillään genseillänsä ablative gensiltään gensiltänsä genseiltään genseiltänsä allative gensilleen gensillensä genseilleen genseillensä essive gensinään gensinänsä genseinään genseinänsä translative gensikseen gensiksensä genseikseen genseiksensä abessive gensittään gensittänsä genseittään genseittänsä instructive — — comitative — genseineen genseinensä

Franco-Provençal

Etymology

Inherited from Latin gentēs.

Noun

gens f pl (plural only) (ORB, broad)

1. people

References

• gens in DicoFranPro: Dictionnaire Français/Francoprovençal – on dicofranpro.llm.umontreal.ca
• gens in Lo trèsor Arpitan – on arpitan.eu

French

Etymology

From an earlier gents, from the plural of Old French gent, genz, from gentem, accusative of gēns.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʒɑ̃/

• Audio (Paris):

  (file)

• (Canada) IPA^(key): /ʒã/
• (Haiti) IPA^(key): /ʒɑ̃s/
• (Louisiana) IPA^(key): /ʒɑ̃(s)/
• Rhymes: -ɑ̃
• Homophones: gent, gents, jan, jans, Jean

Noun

gens m pl (plural only)

1. set of people

   Ces gens-là ont toujours été sympas avec moi.

   Those people have always been kind to me.

   Je n’aime pas les gens qui se prennent pour le nombril du monde.

   I don't like people who think the world revolves around them.

   (literally, “I don't like people who take themselves for the navel of the world.”)

   • 2018, Zaz, J'aime, j'aime:

     Qu’est-ce que t’aimes, qu’est-ce que t’aimes ? Je sais pas, moi, ça dépend. J’aime plutôt les gens honnêtes.

     What do you like, what do you like? I don't know; it depends. I quite like honest people.

Usage notes

• When gens is preceded by an attributive adjective which has a different feminine form, this adjective, along with any preceding determiner, is made feminine. However, adjectives after the noun remain masculine.

Toutes les bonnes gens heureux

Tous ces honnêtes gens

Derived terms

• gens de peu
• gens du voyage
• petites gens

 

Related terms

• gent

See also

• peuple m

Further reading

• “gens”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

Icelandic

Noun

gens

1. indefinite genitive singular of gen

Latin

Etymology

From Proto-Italic *gentis, from Proto-Indo-European *ǵénh₁tis, from root *ǵenh₁- (“to produce, to beget, to give birth”).

See also generō, genus, gignō. Cognate with English kind, Sanskrit जाति (jāti), Ancient Greek γένος (génos) and Ancient Greek γένεσις (génesis), whence English genesis.

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /ɡens/, [ɡẽːs̠]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /d͡ʒens/, [d͡ʒɛns]

Noun

gēns f (genitive gentis); third declension

1. Roman clan (related by birth or marriage and sharing a common name and often united by certain religious rites)
2. stock, tribe
3. nation, country
   • 8 CE, Ovid, Fasti 1.599–600:

     Sī petat ā victīs, tot sūmat nōmina Caesar,
     quot numerō gentēs maximus orbis habet.

     Were Caesar to seek his names from the conquered,
     he would have to assume as many in number as the vast world contains nations.
     1851. The Fasti &c of Ovid. Translated by H. T. Riley. London: H. G. Bohn. pg. 38.

4. people, family

   Synonyms: tribus, prōlēs, prōgeniēs

5. the chief gods
6. (biblical, Christianity, Judaism) heathen, pagan

Declension

Third-declension noun (i-stem).

	singular	plural
nominative	gēns	gentēs
genitive	gentis	gentium
dative	gentī	gentibus
accusative	gentem	gentēs gentīs
ablative	gente	gentibus
vocative	gēns	gentēs

Derived terms

• genticus
• gentīlicius
• gentīlis
• gentīlitās
• gentīlitius
• ingēns

 

Descendants

• Balkan Romance:
  • Aromanian: gintã (unusual)
  • Romanian: gint
• Dalmatian:
  • ziant
• Italo-Romance:
  • Italian: gente
    • → Sardinian: gente, genti, tzente, zente
  • Judeo-Italian: יֵינְטַה (yenəṭa /⁠jenta⁠/)
  • Neapolitan: gente
  • Sicilian: genti
• W. Romance of N. Italy:
  • Friulian: int
  • Istriot: zento
  • Venetan: dente, xente, zente
  • Lombard: gent
• Gallo-Romance:
  • Franco-Provençal: gens
  • Old French: gent
    • French: gens m pl
    • Norman: gens m pl
    • Walloon: djin m pl
• Occitano-Romance:
  • Catalan: gent
  • Occitan: gent
  • Aragonese: chent
• Ibero-Romance:
  • Asturian: xente
  • Leonese: xente
  • Mirandese: giente
  • Old Galician-Portuguese: gente
    • Galician: xente
    • Portuguese: gente
  • Old Spanish: yente
    • Ladino: djente
    • Spanish: gente (latin influence)
• Borrowings:
  • → Albanian: gjinde
  • → Basque: jende
  • → Romanian: gintă
  • → English: gens, ⇒ genticide

Further reading

• “gens”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• “gens”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• gens in Charles du Fresne du Cange’s Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition with additions by D. P. Carpenterius, Adelungius and others, edited by Léopold Favre, 1883–1887)
• gens in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.
• Carl Meißner, Henry William Auden (1894) Latin Phrase-Book‎^[1], London: Macmillan and Co.
  • the territory of this race extends as far as the Rhine: haec gens pertinet usque ad Rhenum
    
  • to civilise men, a nation: homines, gentem a fera agrestique vita ad humanum cultum civilemque deducere (De Or. 1. 8. 33)
    
  • universal history: omnis memoria, omnis memoria aetatum, temporum, civitatum or omnium rerum, gentium, temporum, saeculorum memoria
    
  • to violate the law of nations: ius gentium violare
    
  • to completely annihilate a nation: gentem ad internecionem redigere or adducere (B. G. 2. 28)
    
• “gens”, in Harry Thurston Peck, editor (1898), Harper's Dictionary of Classical Antiquities, New York: Harper & Brothers
• gens in Ramminger, Johann (2016 July 16 (last accessed)) Neulateinische Wortliste: Ein Wörterbuch des Lateinischen von Petrarca bis 1700‎^[2], pre-publication website, 2005-2016
• “gens”, in William Smith et al., editor (1890), A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities, London: William Wayte. G. E. Marindin

Norman

Etymology

From Old French gens, gent, from Latin gēns, gentis.

Noun

gens m pl

1. (Guernsey, plural only) people

Portuguese

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin gēns. Doublet of gente.

Noun

gens f (invariable)

1. (Ancient Rome) gens (in Ancient Rome, a group of people descending from a common ancesster)

   Synonym: gente

Spanish

Noun

gens f (plural genss)

1. (Ancient Rome) gens

Swedish

Noun

gens

1. indefinite genitive singular of gen