n.
Pronunciation: ' j ē n-y ə s, ' j ē -n ē - ə s
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural ge · nius · es or ge · nii \ -n ē - ˌ ī \
Etymology: Latin, tutelary spirit, natural inclinations, from gignere to beget
Date: 1513
1 a plural genii : an attendant spirit of a person or place b plural usually genii : a person who influences another for good or bad
2 : a strong leaning or inclination : PENCHANT
3 a : a peculiar, distinctive, or identifying character or spirit b : the associations and traditions of a place c : a personification or embodiment especially of a quality or condition
4 plural usually genii : SPIRIT , JINNI
5 plural usually geniuses a : a single strongly marked capacity or aptitude <had a genius for getting along with boys ― Mary Ross> b : extraordinary intellectual power especially as manifested in creative activity c : a person endowed with transcendent mental superiority especially : a person with a very high IQ
synonyms see GIFT