Genezen

Genezen is a Dutch verb meaning to cure or heal, and also to recover from illness or injury. It can be used transitively, as in de arts geneest de patiënt, and intransitively, for example zij is volledig genezen. The related noun genezing denotes the process or result of healing. In medical contexts, genezen usually implies a complete cure in which the disease is eliminated, though many conditions are only controllable, lead to remission, or result in long-term management rather than a definitive cure.

Etymology traces to West Germanic roots and it is cognate with the German heilen and the English heal. The word is common across medical, everyday, and informal language, with usage that can emphasize either a change in health status (recovering) or a direct therapeutic effect (curing).

Usage notes and nuances: genezen is appropriate for describing both curing a disease and recovering from one. Distinctions in Dutch between genezen, herstellen, and genezing reflect emphasis on cure versus general restoration or improvement. In scientific and medical writing, accuracy hinges on whether a cure has been achieved versus sustained improvement or symptom relief.

See also: genezing, geneeskunde, ziekte, herstel. For language learners, remember that genezen is versatile: it can describe a successful cure by treatment or recovery of the patient, and it appears in both clinical and colloquial contexts.