Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “genius” come from?

Genius comes from Latin genius, derived from Proto-Indo-European ǵenh₁-, a root meaning to beget or produce.

genius (English): Someone possessing extraordinary intelligence or...

Definitions

  1. Someone possessing extraordinary intelligence or...

Ancestry of “genius”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latingeniusthe deity or guardian spirit of a person, place,...
2Proto-Indo-Europeanǵenh₁-to produce, to beget, to give birth

Words derived from “genius”

  • supergenius
  • nongenius
  • geniuslike
  • geniocracy
  • geniolatry
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ǵenh₁- →