Le ‧ o ‧ nar ‧ do da Vin ‧ ci /liːəˌnɑːdəʊ də ˈvɪntʃi $ -ˌnɑːr-/ BrE AmE
(1452–1519) an Italian painter, inventor, and scientist of the Renaissance period, who is generally regarded as one of the greatest artists and ↑ genius es who ever lived. His most famous paintings are The Mona Lisa and The Last Supper . As a scientist and engineer, he made many important discoveries and designed and invented many machines, including one that looks similar to a modern ↑ helicopter .