germen

Germ + -en

From earlier *genmen via dissimilation, from Proto-Italic *genamen, from Proto-Indo-European *ǵénh₁mn̥ (“offspring”, “seed”), from the root *ǵenh₁- (“to beget”, “to give birth”). Equivalent to gignō (“I beget”) +‎ -men (noun-forming suffix). Compare with genimen.

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /ˈɡer.men/, [ˈɡɛrmɛn]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈd͡ʒer.men/, [ˈd͡ʒɛrmen]

Noun

germen n (genitive germinis); third declension

1. shoot, sprout, bud
2. germ, seed, origin
3. embryo, fetus

Declension

Third-declension noun (neuter, imparisyllabic non-i-stem).

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	germen	germina
Genitive	germinis	germinum
Dative	germinī	germinibus
Accusative	germen	germina
Ablative	germine	germinibus
Vocative	germen	germina

Derived terms

• germānus
• germinascō
• germinō

Related terms

• germinātiō
• germinātus