I
In ancient Roman religion , the attendant spirit of a person or place.
It originally represented the housefather, who gave continuity to a family or clan over generations; its female counterpart was the housemother, called the juno . In later times, the genius was seen as an individual's guardian spirit or higher self, and it was worshiped by that individual, especially on his birthday. There were also genii of places and of groups such as legions, states, and guilds.
II
Person of extraordinary intellectual power.
The genius displays originality, creativity , and the ability to think and work in areas not previously explored. Though geniuses have usually left their unique mark in a particular field, studies have shown that the general intelligence of geniuses is also exceptionally high. Genius appears to be a function of both hereditary and environmental factors. See also gifted child .