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

Reaction to Böcker's new campaign have been enthusiastic, with responses on social media including "marketing genius" and "excellent, that is German quality".

Read more on BBC

As a critic, I can appreciate the raging genius of the thing without giving into desire.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

But Pugh’s stroke of genius is putting Eileen not in some sort of mannish suit but in a bombshell dress that highlights her curves like a primal goddess.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Azoff called James Dolan a “misunderstood genius” who had a vision for a spherical arena with an immersive sound system that didn’t exist before the Vegas Sphere opened in September 2023.

Read more on Barron's

The assumption is — and remains — that tycoons and geniuses deserve to run rampant.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

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.