From Latin 'genuīnus' (native), possibly from 'genu' (knee) — referring to a Roman father placing a legitimate child on his knee.
Truly what something is said to be; authentic; sincere and honest.
From Latin 'genuīnus' (native, natural, innate), from 'genu' (knee) or from 'gignere' (to beget), from PIE *ǵenh₁- (to beget). The connection to 'genu' (knee) comes from the Roman custom whereby a father acknowledged a newborn as legitimate by placing the child on his knee ('in genū'). A 'genuine' child was one placed on the father's knee — accepted as authentically his. Alternatively, directly from 'gignere' (to beget), meaning 'legitimately born
A Roman father accepted a newborn child as legitimately his by placing it on his knee ('genu'). A child placed on the knee was 'genuīnus' — genuinely his offspring. A child not placed on the knee was rejected and could be exposed (left to die). So 'genuine' may literally mean 'placed on the knee' — and the authenticity of every genuine article in the modern world traces