adj · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
UK:/ˌfəʊ.təʊˈd͡ʒɛn.ɪk/
US:/ˌfoʊ.toʊˈd͡ʒɛn.ɪk/
US:/ˌfoʊ.təˈd͡ʒɛn.ɪk/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
Australia:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -ɛnɪk
CMU ARPABET:F OW2 T AH0 JH EH1 N IH0 K
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adj
Meaning 1
Generated or caused by light.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
The sunbather developed a photogenic melanoma on her back.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
adj
Meaning 2
Producing or emitting light; luminescent.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
The photogenic bacteria were visible in the dark room.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
adj
Meaning 3
Looking good when photographed.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
The company hired the spokesperson for his photogenic face.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
adjective satellite
Meaning 4
looking attractive in photographs
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
From photo- + -genic.
Across languages
Translations
47 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Finnish:
fotogeeninen
— generated or caused by light
Galician:
fotoxénico
— generated or caused by light
Hungarian:
fotogén
— generated or caused by light
Italian:
fotogeno
— generated or caused by light
Portuguese:
fotogénico
— generated or caused by light
Bulgarian:
луминесцентен
(luminescenten)
— producing or emitting light
Czech:
světélkující
— producing or emitting light
Finnish:
valoa emittoiva
— producing or emitting light
Galician:
fotoxénico
— producing or emitting light
Hungarian:
fotogén
— producing or emitting light
Italian:
fotogeno
— producing or emitting light
Portuguese:
fotógeno
— producing or emitting light
Spanish:
fotogénico
— producing or emitting light
Belarusian:
фотагені́чны
(fotahjeníčny)
— looking good when photographed
Bulgarian:
фотогеничен
(fotogeničen)
— looking good when photographed
Catalan:
fotogènic
— looking good when photographed
Chinese Mandarin:
上鏡 /上镜
(shàngjìng)
— looking good when photographed
Czech:
fotogenický
— looking good when photographed
Danish:
fotogen
— looking good when photographed
Dutch:
fotogeniek
— looking good when photographed
Finnish:
valokuvauksellinen
— looking good when photographed
French:
photogénique
— looking good when photographed
Galician:
fotoxénico
— looking good when photographed
German:
fotogen
— looking good when photographed
Greek:
φωτογενής
(fotogenís)
— looking good when photographed
Hungarian:
fotogén
— looking good when photographed
Irish:
fótaigineach
— looking good when photographed
Italian:
fotogenico
— looking good when photographed
Japanese:
写真写りがいい
(shashin-utsuri-ga-ii)
— looking good when photographed
Korean:
사진발 좋은
(sajinbal jo'eun)
— looking good when photographed
Latvian:
fotogēnisks
— looking good when photographed
Maltese:
fotoġeniku
— looking good when photographed
Maltese:
fotoġenika
— looking good when photographed
Maltese:
fotoġeniċi
— looking good when photographed
Norwegian Bokmål:
fotogen
— looking good when photographed
Persian:
خوشعکس
(xoš-'aks)
— looking good when photographed
Polish:
fotogeniczny
— looking good when photographed
Portuguese:
fotogénico
— looking good when photographed
Russian:
фотогени́чный
(fotogeníčnyj)
— looking good when photographed
Slovak:
fotogenický
— looking good when photographed
Spanish:
fotogénico
— looking good when photographed
Swedish:
fotogenisk
— looking good when photographed
Swedish:
fotogenique
— looking good when photographed
Thai:
ขึ้นกล้อง
— looking good when photographed
Turkish:
fotojenik
— looking good when photographed
Ukrainian:
фотогені́чний
(fotoheníčnyj)
— looking good when photographed
Vietnamese:
ăn ảnh
— looking good when photographed