ingenious Definition
in·gen·ious (in jēn′yəs)
adjective
- Obsolete having genius; having great mental ability
- clever, resourceful, original, and inventive
- made or done in a clever or original way
Etymology: LME < MFr ingenieux < L ingeniosus, of good capacity, gifted with genius, ingenious < ingenium, innate quality, ability < in-, in + gignere: see genus
ingenious Related Forms
in·gen′·iously adverb
in·gen′·ious·ness noun
ingenious Synonyms
ingenious
modif.
ingenious Usage Examples
Modifies a noun
- contrivance: The width of the bridge was increased by an ingenious contrivance of the late David Stephenson, Esq. architect.
- contraption: Wallace meets every challenge in life by inventing some ingenious contraption in the eccentric English tradition of Heath Robinson and Roland Emmett.
- gadget: The kitchen craft avocado slicer is just the sort of ingenious gadget you'll wonder how you ever lived without!
- invention: Wilkins was always bringing in ingenious inventions he knew of in reality.
- inventor: Violet is an ingenious inventor in an improvising Heath Robinson mode.
- device: These ingenious devices are just the thing to keep your bunnies off of the furniture!
Modifying Another Word
- rather: Kai has a rather ingenious file update distribution system.
- equally: The rest facilities are equally ingenious: outwardly far too modern but conceivable in a world where magic really works.
- quite: For Superbase, Simon & Tom devised a simpler method of working, which is quite ingenious - they write the file backward!
- particularly: He devised a particularly ingenious explanation for why systems tend toward equilibrium.
- very: It includes a very ingenious set of folding pliers.
- often: House owners are often ingenious in their adaptation of pillboxes.
Used with adjective complement
Browse dictionary entries near ingenious
- ‹ ingenerate
- ‹ ingeminate
- ‹ Inge
- ‹ ingather
- ‹ -ing
- ‹ ingénue
- ‹ infusorian
- ‹ infusorial
- ‹ infusive
- ‹ infusionism
- ingenuity ›
- ingenuous ›
- ingenuously ›
- ingenuousness ›
- Ingersoll ›
- ingest ›
- ingesta ›
- ingle ›
- inglenook ›
- Inglewood ›

