genius
Americannoun
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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.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of genius
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin: “tutelary deity or genius of a person”; cf. genus
Explanation
Genius is an exceptional talent or skill, something above and beyond the norm. A genius is someone who possesses this brilliance, like a child prodigy who learned the piano at age 3 and played sold-out concerts by age 5. Genius comes from the Latin word of the same name, meaning "guardian deity or spirit which watches over each person from birth" or "innate ability." Your genius — your superior talent — at the game of chess could make you a world champion. Your amazing genius would also make you a genius. The word can be used more lightheartedly to describe a natural ability or flair for something. You may have a genius for putting together stylish outfits.
Vocabulary lists containing genius
Language Gone Wrong: Words That Started Out as Errors
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Commonly Misspelled Words, List 1
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Albert Einstein
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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.
"What's unique is that he creates a cohesiveness to all the different forms he's taken from different genres of music. That is the genius of Ilaiyaraja," he said.
From BBC • Jun. 6, 2026
The genius of Kosky’s singularly musical production is that it magically makes the orchestra itself a compendious magic flute.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 5, 2026
A deep-lying central midfielder whose genius was spatial.
From BBC • Jun. 4, 2026
That’s the quiet genius of French onion mix.
From Salon • Jun. 2, 2026
I mean, all I even knew about Dante Paul was that his family was from Haiti and he was supposed to be some sort of computer genius.
From "Maybe He Just Likes You" by Barbara Dee
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.
