genie

n. countable

B1 Intermediate US //ˈdʒini// UK //dʒˈiːni// ge·nie

Definition

n. a magical spirit from old stories that lives in a lamp or bottle. If you set it free, it usually grants you three wishes.

n. a supernatural spirit from Arabic mythology, often depicted in folklore as being imprisoned in a vessel and bound to serve the person who releases it.

SIMPLE

The genie granted him three wishes after he rubbed the lamp.

CONTEXTUAL

In the classic fairy tale, the protagonist discovers a dusty lamp containing a powerful genie.

COMPLEX

The metaphor of the genie being out of the bottle is frequently used in political discourse to describe a situation where a new development cannot be reversed.

Usage

Often appears in the idiom 'to let the genie out of the bottle', meaning to allow something to happen that cannot be stopped.

Idioms2 entries

01
put the genie back in the bottle
To revert a situation; to put things back as they were before something (usually an unwelcome thing) became a reality.
02
the genie is out of the bottle
Information has been released that will have ongoing consequences.

Last updated May 6, 2026