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-gony

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a combining form meaning “production,” “genesis,” “origination,” used in the formation of compound words: theogony; cosmogony.
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Origin of -gony

<Latin -gonia<Greek -goneia, equivalent to gón(os) (see gon-) + -eia-y3
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

WORDS THAT USE -GONY

What does -gony mean?

The combining form -gony is used like a suffix meaning “production,” “genesis,” or “origination.” It is occasionally used in scientific terms, especially in biology.

The form -gony ultimately comes from Greek gónos, meaning “seed, generation.”

Examples of -gony

An example of a scientific term that features the form -gony is heterogony, “the alternation of dioecious and hermaphroditic individuals in successive generations, as in certain nematodes.” If that sounds overly technical, breaking down the word will give a clearer understanding of the meaning.

The form hetero- might look familiar; it means “different” or “other,” from Greek héteros. The form -gony means “production” or “origination,” as we have seen. Heterogony literally translates to “different productions.”

What are some words that use the combining form -gony?

What are some other forms that -gony may be commonly confused with?

Not every word that ends with the exact letters -gony, such as jargony or agony, is necessarily using the combining form -gony to denote “production.” Learn why agony means “pain” at our entry for the word.

Break it down!

The combining form cosmo- means “universe.” With this in mind, what does cosmogony literally mean?

How to use -gony in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for -gony

-gony

n combining form
genesis, origin, or productioncosmogony

Word Origin for -gony

from Latin -gonia, from Greek, -goneia, from gonos seed, procreation
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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