Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “Generation X” come from?

Generation X (English) comes from English generation, from Middle English generacioun, from Old French generacion, from Latin generātiō, from Latin -tiō, from Latin dissertātiō, from Latin dissertus, from Latin disserere — small stone, pebble; gravel, rubble.

Ancestry of “Generation X”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishgenerationThe fact of creating something, or bringing...
2Middle Englishgeneracioungeneration
3Old Frenchgeneracionprocreation; begetting
4Latingenerātiō—
5Latin-tiō—
6Latindissertātiō—
7Latindissertusarranged, disposed; explained
8Latindissereresecond-person singular future passive indicative...
9Latindis-asunder, apart, in two; reversal, removal;...
10Latincalceusshoe
11Latincalxlimestone; chalk; the finish line
12Ancient Greekχάλιξsmall stone, pebble; gravel, rubble

Words derived from “Generation X”

  • Gen-X
  • Gen-Xer
Every word from Ancient Greek χάλιξ →