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

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.