genius
/ˈdʒiːnjəs/noun
( pl. geniuses)
1
- mass noun exceptional intellectual or creative power or other natural ability天才; 非凡创造力; 天赋, 天分：
she was a teacher of genius
她是位天才教师
in sing. Gardner had a real genius for tapping wealth.加德纳真是天生的敛财高手。
2
- a person who is exceptionally intelligent or able in some respect（某方面的）天才人物; 特别能干的人。
3
- ( pl. genii /ˈdʒiːnɪaɪ/) (in some mythologies) a tutelary spirit associated with a person, place, or institution（神话中某个人、地方或机构的）守护神。
3.1
- a person regarded as exerting a powerful influence over another for good or evil对某人有很大好（或坏）影响的人：
he sees Adams as the man's evil genius.
他认为亚当对男人影响极大, 使他们变得邪恶。
4
- mass noun the prevalent character or spirit of something such as a nation or age（民族或时代的）普遍特征; 民族精神; 时代精神：
Boucher's paintings did not suit the austere genius of neoclassicism.
布歇的画不符合新古典主义的严肃风格。
词源
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 'tutelary 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.）.