genius
Americannoun
plural
geniuses, genii-
an exceptional natural capacity of intellect, especially as shown in creative and original work in science, art, music, etc..
the genius of Mozart.
- Synonyms:
- wit, ingenuity, intelligence
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a person having such capacity.
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a person having an extraordinarily high intelligence rating on a psychological test, as an IQ above 140.
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natural ability or capacity; strong inclination.
a special genius for leadership.
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distinctive character or spirit, as of a nation, period, or language.
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the guardian spirit of a place, institution, etc.
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either of two mutually opposed spirits, one good and the other evil, supposed to attend a person throughout life.
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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.
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Islamic Mythology. jinn; genie.
noun
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a person with exceptional ability, esp of a highly original kind
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such ability or capacity
Mozart's musical genius
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the distinctive spirit or creative nature of a nation, era, language, etc
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a person considered as exerting great influence of a certain sort
an evil genius
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Roman myth
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the guiding spirit who attends a person from birth to death
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the guardian spirit of a place, group of people, or institution
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Arabian myth (usually plural) a demon; jinn
Usage
Plural word for genius The plural form of genius can be either geniuses or genii, pronounced [ jee-nee-ahy ], depending on the intended meaning of the word. Geniuses is much more commonly used. The plural forms of several other singular words that end in -us are also formed in this way, such as virus/viruses, callus/calluses, and status/statuses. Irregular plurals that are formed like genii, such as radius/radii or cactus/cacti, derive directly from their original pluralization in Latin. However, the standard English plural -es is often also acceptable for these terms, as in radiuses and cactuses.
Etymology
Origin of genius
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin: “tutelary deity or genius of a person”; genus
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“It’s fascinating to me that we had all these great geniuses in town, and kind of ignored them,” says Dunn.
From Los Angeles Times
“Richard is a genius when it comes to real estate but in retailing, the skills are different.”
That former intern was vacuuming the cup holders in your Yukon two years ago, now everyone thinks he’s the genius, and you’re a figurehead.
When charged with becoming chancellor of Starfleet Academy, Nahla seeks out Caleb, a rogue technical genius, offering the chance of an education and the potential of finding his mom once again.
From Los Angeles Times
It isn’t about who wins MacArthur genius grants, but whether our military can fulfill its sacred duty.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
