genius

[jeen-yuhs]

noun

plural

geniuses, genii 

1. 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

2. a person having such capacity.

3. a person having an extraordinarily high intelligence rating on a psychological test, as an IQ above 140.

   Synonyms: brainiac, brain, whiz, expert, master
   Antonyms: dope, half-wit, imbecile, idiot, ninny, nitwit, blockhead, numbskull, dolt, dullard, dunce, simpleton, fool, moron

4. natural ability or capacity; strong inclination.

   a special genius for leadership.

   Synonyms: flair, bent, knack, penchant, predilection, endowment, faculty, aptitude, talent, gift, 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.

genius

/ ˈdʒiːnɪəs, -njəs /

noun

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

   1. the guiding spirit who attends a person from birth to death

   2. the guardian spirit of a place, group of people, or institution

6. Arabian myth (usually plural) a demon; jinn

Word History and Origins

Origin of genius¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin: “tutelary deity or genius of a person”; genus

Word History and Origins

Origin of genius¹

C16: from Latin, from gignere to beget

Example Sentences

If all this seems frivolous, it also reveals an intuitive feeling for the social that rises to the level of genius.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

But for now and just a moment . . . think of the genius that went into making 80, 80 and 9.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

But this stammering, rather dull chap doesn’t come across as a genius.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

But Musk did manage to make the real slash-and-burn artist, Office of Management and Budget director Russell Vought, look like a strategic genius by comparison.

Read more on Salon

But his success at Ole Miss and his reputation as an offensive genius means administrators are willing to overlook his flawed record.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• ability 
• accomplishment 
• acumen 
• aptitude 
• brilliance 
• flair 
• imagination 
• ingenuity 
• inspiration 
• intelligence 
• inventiveness www.thesaurus.com
• originality 
• prodigy 
• prowess 
• talent 
• wisdom 

When To Use

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.