genius

B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun

n. the great skill or intelligence that a very smart person has.

n. extraordinary mental capacity or a natural talent for a specific activity. Uncountable in this abstract sense.

“Her genius for solving difficult math problems was obvious from a young age.”

“The true genius of the design lies in its simplicity and the way it solves complex engineering problems with minimal parts.”

B2 · Upper Intermediate Informal

adj. very clever or brilliant. You use this to describe a great idea or plan.

adj. ingenious or exceptionally clever. Used as an attributive or predicative adjective in informal contexts.

“That was a genius idea to bring an umbrella just in case.”

“The marketing team came up with a genius strategy that doubled their sales in less than three months.”

C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Literary · Formal

n. the special character or spirit of a place or person.

n. the prevailing spirit or distinctive character of a place, person, or era. Often used in the phrase 'genius loci'.

“The architect tried to capture the genius of the ancient city in his new building.”

“The novel successfully evokes the genius of Victorian London, capturing both its industrial energy and its social contradictions.”