gen·ius

[jeen-yuhs]
noun, plural gen·ius·es for 2, 3, 8, gen·i·i [jee-nee-ahy] , for 6, 7, 9, 10.
1.
an exceptional natural capacity of intellect, especially as shown in creative and original work in science, art, music, etc.: the genius of Mozart. intelligence, ingenuity, wit; brains.
2.
a person having such capacity.
3.
a person having an extraordinarily high intelligence rating on a psychological test, as an IQ above 140. mental giant, master, expert; whiz, brain, brainiac. idiot, imbecile, half-wit, dope, moron; fool, simpleton, dunce, dullard, dolt; numskull, blockhead, nitwit, ninny.
4.
natural ability or capacity; strong inclination: a special genius for leadership. gift, talent, aptitude, faculty, endowment, predilection; penchant, knack, bent, flair, wizardry.
5.
distinctive character or spirit, as of a nation, period, or language.
6.
the guardian spirit of a place, institution, etc.
7.
either of two mutually opposed spirits, one good and the other evil, supposed to attend a person throughout life.
8.
a person who strongly influences for good or ill the character, conduct, or destiny of a person, place, or thing: Rasputin, the evil genius of Russian politics.
9.
Islamic Mythology, jinn; genie.
10.
genie ( def 3 ).

Origin:
1350–1400; Middle English < Latin: tutelary deity or genius of a person; cf. genus

genius, genus.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source Link To genius
00:10
Genius is always a great word to know.
So is bezoar. Does it mean:
a calculus or concretion found in the stomach or intestines of certain animals, esp. ruminants, formerly reputed to be an effective remedy for poison.
a children's mummer's parade, as on the Fourth of July, with prizes for the best costumes.
Collins
World English Dictionary
genius (ˈdʒiːnɪəs, -njəs) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
n , pl (for senses 5, 6) -uses, genii
1.  a person with exceptional ability, esp of a highly original kind
2.  such ability or capacity: Mozart's musical genius
3.  the distinctive spirit or creative nature of a nation, era, language, etc
4.  a person considered as exerting great influence of a certain sort: an evil genius
5.  Roman myth
 a.  the guiding spirit who attends a person from birth to death
 b.  the guardian spirit of a place, group of people, or institution
6.  (usually plural) Arabian myth a demon; jinn
 
[C16: from Latin, from gignere to beget]

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History

genius
late 14c., from L. genius "guardian deity or spirit which watches over each person from birth; spirit, incarnation, wit, talent," from root of gignere "beget, produce" (see kin), from PIE base *gen- "produce." Meaning "person of natural intelligence or talent" first recorded 1640s.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
Example sentences
More's genius is of that high order in which the intellectual and moral powers
  seem to interpenetrate and vitalise each other.
His genius was inclined to the pathetic, and none could touch with truer effect
  the chords of human sympathy.
He suffers from sensory overload at a black tie affair when thunderstruck by
  the genius of Velazquez's paintings.
He said he wasn't a genius, but only used his intuition.
Copyright © 2013 Dictionary.com, LLC. All rights reserved.
  • Please Login or Sign Up to use the Recent Searches feature
FAVORITES
RECENT