Where does “Genius” come from?

Genius (German) comes from Latin genius, from Proto-Indo-European ǵenh₁- — to produce, to beget, to give birth.

Genius (German): genius (extraordinary mental capacity)

Definitions

  1. genius (extraordinary mental capacity)

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
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ǵenh₁- →Every word from Latin genius →
Genius — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer