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genius

[ jeen-yuhs ]
/ ˈdʒin yəs /
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See synonyms for: genius / geniuses on Thesaurus.com

noun, plural gen·ius·es for 2, 3, 8, gen·i·i [jee-nee-ahy] /ˈdʒi niˌaɪ/ for 6, 7, 9, 10.
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Origin of genius

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

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH genius

genius , genus
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use genius in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for genius

genius
/ (ˈdʒiːnɪəs, -njəs) /

noun plural -uses or for senses 5, 6 genii (ˈdʒiːnɪˌaɪ)
a person with exceptional ability, esp of a highly original kind
such ability or capacityMozart's musical genius
the distinctive spirit or creative nature of a nation, era, language, etc
a person considered as exerting great influence of a certain sortan evil genius
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
Arabian myth (usually plural) a demon; jinn

Word Origin for genius

C16: from Latin, from gignere to beget
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
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