genius
/ˈdʒiː.nɪəs/ · gen-i-us
noun
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Someone possessing extraordinary intelligence or skill; especially somebody who has demonstrated this by a creative or original work in science, music, art etc. I think that would qualify as not smart, but genius... and a very stable genius at that!
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Extraordinary mental capacity. Her genius for mathematics was evident from a young age.
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Inspiration, a mental leap, an extraordinary creative process. The work of genius that came from that moment of inspiration changed the art world forever.
adjective
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Ingenious, brilliant, very clever, or original. What a genius idea! It will solve all our problems.
Etymology
From Latin 'genius', meaning 'guardian spirit' or 'inherent quality', derived from 'gignere', to produce or beget.
Did you know? The term 'genius' was originally used in ancient Roman culture to describe a person's guardian spirit or guiding force, and was later adopted to describe exceptional human abilities.
Written by Lexi Wordsworth, Dictionary Editor
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Added Jul 14, 2026