Kenneth G. Wilson (1923–). The Columbia Guide to Standard American English. 1993.
congenial, genial (adjs.)
If you meet someone genial, you may find him or her congenial too, but usually when used of people genial is personal and congenial is characteristic of groups and of an individual’s relationships to them. Genial means “warm, friendly, kindly, and (of climate or surroundings) welcoming, pleasant, and conducive to growth.” Congenial means “of similar and sympathetic tastes, pleasant and sociable, and (of climate and surroundings and people as well) suitable, and agreeable.”
