genitals

The word 'genitals' originates from the Latin adjective genitalis, meaning 'of or pertaining to generation or birth', derived from genitus ('begotten'). This, in turn, comes from the verb gignere ('to beget, produce'), a descendant of the Proto-Indo-European root ǵenh₁-, meaning 'to give birth, beget'. The term entered Middle English via Old French. Its application shifted from the general concept of generation to refer specifically to the bodily organs involved in procreation. Thus, the modern abstract meaning is a direct and logical specialization of the ancient root's core idea of birth and production.

Structure: genit (birth, generation) + al (adjective suffix) + s (plural suffix) - genit: From Latin genit-, the stem of genitus, the past participle of gignere meaning 'to beget, produce'. It denotes the concept of generation and procreation. - al: A suffix of Latin origin (-alis) used to form adjectives meaning 'of, relating to, or characterized by'. - s: A suffix from Old English used to form the regular plural of nouns.