ingenuity

American  

[in-juh-noo-i-tee, -nyoo-] / ˌɪn dʒəˈnu ɪ ti, -ˈnyu- /

noun

plural

ingenuities

1. the quality of being cleverly inventive or resourceful; inventiveness.

   a designer of great ingenuity.

2. cleverness or skillfulness of conception or design.

   a device of great ingenuity.

3. an ingenious contrivance or device.

4. Obsolete. ingenuousness.

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ingenuity British  

/ ˌɪndʒɪˈnjuːɪtɪ /

noun

1. inventive talent; cleverness

2. an ingenious device, act, etc

3. archaic frankness; candour

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Other Word Forms

• hyperingenuity noun
• superingenuity noun

Etymology

Origin of ingenuity

First recorded in 1590–1600; from Latin ingenuitās “innate virtue, etc.” ( ingenuous, -ity ); current senses by association with ingenious

Example Sentences

Part of the film’s ingenuity is its ability to let us inhabit Travis’s psyche while not losing our perspective on him.

From The Wall Street Journal

"We have gone deep into every corner of our business and are making the necessary changes, mobilising all the passion and ingenuity we have within Stellantis," Filosa said in the statement.

From Barron's

“I hid it in a chair, inside the metal tube of the chair leg,” said Héctor Orsenigo, who like many here takes pride in his ingenuity.

From The Wall Street Journal

This is not wrong, but it may leave readers struggling to keep up with the author’s ingenuity, even as they try to keep straight all Mr. Sheehan’s sources from the ancient, medieval and modern eras.

From The Wall Street Journal

The authors of the analysis decried a lack of articles on topics such as ingenuity in the U.S., why Americans have won many Nobel Prizes or landed people on the moon.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• ability
• brilliance
• dexterity
• flair
• genius
• gumption
• intelligence
• inventiveness
• resourcefulness
• shrewdness
• skill
• talent
• wisdom
• wit