- genesis
- O.E., from L. genesis, adopted as title of first book of Old Testament in Vulgate, from Gk. genesis "origin, creation, generation," from gignesthai "to be born," related to genos "race, birth, descent" (see genus). As such, it translated Heb. bereshith, lit. "in the beginning," which was the first word of the text, taken in error as its title. Extended sense of "origin, creation" first recorded in English c.1600.