genie

American

[jee-nee] / ˈdʒi ni /

noun

Islamic Mythology. jinn.
a spirit, often appearing in human form, that when summoned by a person carries out the wishes of the summoner.
any spirit; demon.

genie ¹ British

/ ˈdʒiːnɪ /

noun

(in fairy tales and stories) a servant who appears by magic and fulfils a person's wishes
another word for jinni

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Genie ² British

/ ˈdʒiːnɪ /

noun

an award given by the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television in recognition of Canadian cinematic achievements

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of genie

1645–55; < French génie < Latin genius; genius

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.

The Epstein genie is out of the bottle.

From Salon • Jul. 28, 2025

Selena Gomez is here, double nominee tonight, and she's here with her new fiancé Benny Blanco, and Benny Blanco is here because of the genie who granted him that wish.

From BBC • Jan. 5, 2025

The genie of legal sports betting is never going back into its bottle.

From Slate • Dec. 20, 2024

"When it comes to social justice, you can't put the genie back in the bottle," Lily Burana, author of "Grace for Amateurs," told me.

From Salon • Nov. 6, 2024

With as much effort as a child punching water, the genie blew through the palace’s roof, sending large snow blocks crumbling down into the room.

From "Half Upon a Time" by James Riley

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023