Ma'anar ƙamus na kalmar "caco-genesis" ita ce tsarin samuwa ko samar da wani abu da ake ganin mara kyau, mai cutarwa, ko mara dadi. Ana amfani da shi sau da yawa a cikin yanayin likita ko kimiyya don bayyana ci gaba ko ci gaban cuta ko rashin lafiya da ke cutar da lafiya ko jin daɗi. Kalmar “caco-” ta fito ne daga kalmar Helenanci “kakos,” ma’ana mara kyau, kuma “genesis” tana nufin farkon ko halittar wani abu.