genius

Definitions


[ˈdʒiːnɪəs], (Noun)

Definitions:
- exceptional intellectual or creative power or other natural ability
(e.g: she was a teacher of genius)

- an exceptionally intelligent person or one with exceptional skill in a particular area of activity
(e.g: a mathematical genius)

- a person regarded as exerting a powerful influence over another for good or evil
(e.g: he sees Adams as the man's evil genius)

- the prevailing character or spirit of something
(e.g: Boucher's paintings did not suit the austere genius of neoclassicism)


Phrases:

Origin:
late Middle English: from Latin, ‘attendant spirit present from one's birth, innate ability or inclination’, from the root of gignere ‘beget’. The original sense ‘spirit attendant on a person’ gave rise to a sense ‘a person's characteristic disposition’ (late 16th century), which led to a sense ‘a person's natural ability’, and finally ‘exceptional natural ability’ (mid 17th century)


[ˈdʒiːnɪəs], (Adjective)

Definitions:
- very clever or ingenious
(e.g: a genius idea)


Phrases:

Origin:
late Middle English: from Latin, ‘attendant spirit present from one's birth, innate ability or inclination’, from the root of gignere ‘beget’. The original sense ‘spirit attendant on a person’ gave rise to a sense ‘a person's characteristic disposition’ (late 16th century), which led to a sense ‘a person's natural ability’, and finally ‘exceptional natural ability’ (mid 17th century)




definition by Oxford Dictionaries