genius

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genius [noun]

very great and rare natural ability or skill, especially in a particular area such as science or art, or a person who has this

US /ˈdʒiː.ni.əs/ 
UK /ˈdʒiː.ni.əs/ 
Example: 

Einstein was a (mathematical) genius.

Oxford Essential Dictionary

genius

 noun (plural geniuses)
a very clever person:
Einstein was a genius.

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English

genius

genius /ˈdʒiːniəs/ BrE AmE noun
[Date: 1300-1400; Language: Latin; Origin: 'spirit who guards a person or place', from gignere; ⇨ ↑genital]
1. [uncountable] a very high level of intelligence, mental skill, or ability, which only a few people have:
The film reveals Fellini’s genius.
work/writer/man etc of genius
Wynford was an architect of genius.
a stroke of genius (=a very clever idea)
At the time, his appointment seemed a stroke of genius.
a work of pure genius
2. [countable] someone who has an unusually high level of intelligence, mental skill, or ability:
Freud was a genius.
musical/comic/mathematical etc genius
a genius at (doing) something
My father was a genius at storytelling.
3. a genius for (doing) something special skill at doing something:
That woman has a genius for organization.
Warhol’s genius for publicity
• • •
THESAURUS
skill [uncountable and countable] an ability to do something well, especially because you have learned and practised it: He plays the piano with great skill. | communication/language/computer etc skills | The course will help you improve your communication skills.
talent [uncountable and countable] a natural ability to do something well which can be developed with practice: She was a young artist with a lot of talent. | She showed a talent for acting from an early age. | He is a man of many talents.
genius [uncountable] very great ability, which only a few people have: The opera shows Mozart’s genius as a composer. | Picasso was a painter of genius.
gift [countable] a natural ability to do something very well, which you were born with: You can see that he has a gift for the game. | Winterson has great gifts as a writer.
flair [singular, uncountable] skill for doing something, especially something that needs imagination and creativity: The job does require some creative flair. | She has a flair for languages.
expertise [uncountable] specialized knowledge of a technical subject, which you get from experience of doing that type of work: The technical expertise for building the dam is being provided by a US company.
a/the knack /næk/ [singular] informal a special skill for doing a particular thing, especially a simple everyday thing: Breadmaking is easy once you get the knack. | He has a knack for making people feel relaxed.

Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

genius

ge·nius [genius geniuses genii]   [ˈdʒiːniəs]    [ˈdʒiːniəs]  noun (pl. ge·niuses)
1. uncountable unusually great intelligence, skill or artistic ability
the genius of Shakespeare
• a statesman of genius

• Her idea was a stroke of genius.

2. countable a person who is unusually intelligent or artistic, or who has a very high level of skill, especially in one area
a mathematical/comic, etc. genius
• He's a genius at organizing people.

• You don't have to be a genius to see that they are in love!

3. singular ~ for sth/for doing sth a special skill or ability
He had a genius for making people feel at home.
Idiom: somebody's good genius  
Word 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 cent.), which led to a sense ‘a person's natural ability’, and finally ‘exceptional natural ability’ (mid 17th cent.).  
Thesaurus:
genius noun C
He was a comic genius.
prodigybrainmastermind
Opp: dunce
the genius/brains/mastermind behind sth
a true/child genius/prodigy
a great/scientific genius/brain 
Example Bank:
In a flash of pure genius, she realized the answer to the problem.
It was a stroke of genius on my part to avoid such awkward questions.
She has a genius for sorting things out.
a work which shows real genius
a writer of genius
his genius for pinpointing the absurd
He was a man of great genius.
He was undoubtedly the greatest comic genius of his age.
In flash of pure genius, the answer came to her.
It's undoubtedly a work of genius.
She was at the peak of her creative genius.
She's a genius at getting things organized.
Some people say that there is only ever one true genius born in each generation.
That was a stroke of genius.
• You don't have to be a genius to see that this plan is not going to work.

• You're an absolute genius!
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Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary - 4th Edition
 

genius / ˈdʒiː.ni.əs / noun [ C or U ] ( plural geniuses )

C1 very great and rare natural ability or skill, especially in a particular area such as science or art, or a person who has this:

(an) artistic/creative/musical genius

Einstein was a (mathematical) genius.

From the age of three, she showed signs of genius.

It was such a brilliant idea - a real stroke of genius.

evil genius literary a person who has a strong bad influence over other people:

The film was about an evil genius who wanted to control the world.

have a genius for sth to be especially skilled at a particular activity:

She has a genius for raising money.

Collins Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary

genius

/dʒi:niəs/
(geniuses)

1.
Genius is very great ability or skill in a particular subject or activity.
This is the mark of her real genius as a designer...
The man had genius and had made his mark in the aviation world...
Its very title is a stroke of genius.
N-UNCOUNT

2.
A genius is a highly talented, creative, or intelligent person.
Chaplin was not just a genius, he was among the most influential figures in film history.
N-COUNT

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary

genius

ge·nius /ˈʤiːnjəs/ noun, pl -nius·es
1 [count]
a : a very smart or talented person : a person who has a level of talent or intelligence that is very rare or remarkable
• Albert Einstein and Isaac Newton were great scientific geniuses.
• a musical/artistic/creative genius
• You don't have to be a genius to see that this plan will never work.
b : a person who is very good at doing something
• He was a genius at handling the press.
2 a [noncount] : great natural ability : remarkable talent or intelligence
• She's now widely recognized as an artist of genius.
• He's admired for his comic/artistic/scientific genius.
b [singular] : a great or unusual talent or ability - usually + for
• She has a genius for knowing what will sell.
• He had a genius for getting into trouble. [=he often got into trouble]
3 [singular]
a : a very clever or smart quality
• The (sheer) genius of his theory was not immediately recognized.
b : a part of something that makes it unusually good or valuable
• My plan is simple—that's the genius of it.
• The genius of these new computers is their portability.
a stroke of genius : a brilliant and successful idea or decision
• Deciding to relocate the company was a stroke of genius.