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The combining form –gen is used like a suffix meaning “that which produces.” It is often used in scientific and technical terms, especially in chemistry and biology.

The form –gen comes from Greek –�����ŧ��, meaning “born” or “produced.” The Latin translation and cognate of –�����ŧ�� is ����ٳܲ�, meaning “born,” which is the source of natal, native, and nature. Find out how these terms derive from ����ٳܲ� at our entry for each word.

What are variants of –gen?

While the form –gen doesn’t have any variants, it is related to the combining forms –genic, –geny, and –genous, as in heterogenic, heterogeny, and heterogenous. The form –gen is also closely related to the combining forms –genesis and –genetic as in carcinogenesis and autogenetic. Read our �������t¶��s That Use articles for –genic, –geny, –genous, –genesis, and –genetic to learn more.

An example of a word you may have encountered that features –gen is carcinogen, “any substance or agent that tends to produce a cancer.”

We know –gen means “that which produces,” and the carcino– portion of the word refers to “cancer,” from Greek �첹����í�ԴDz�. Carcinogen literally translates to “that which produces cancer.”

What are some words that use the combining form –gen?

• adaptogen
• androgen
• dipsogen
• estrogen
• hydrogen (using the equivalent form of –gen in French)
• pathogen
• zymogen (using the equivalent form of –gen in German)

What are some other forms that –gen may be commonly confused with?

• -gamy
• -gon
• -gyny

Not every word that ends with the exact letters –gen, such as trudgen or smidgen, is necessarily using the combining form –gen to denote “that which produces.” Learn what trudgen has to do with swimming at our entry for the word.

The combining form hydro– means “water.” With this in mind, what does hydrogen literally mean?