See Also: genie(dictionary)
genie(dictionary)

genie (iou)



genie noun. , -s. M17.
[French genie from Latin GENIUS.]
= GENIUS 1. M17-E18.
A spirit or jinnee (in Arabian stories), esp. one trapped in or inhabiting a bottle, lamp, etc., and capable of granting wishes. Cf. GENIUS 2. M18.
S. Rushdie I just rub my jolly old lamp and out pops the genie bringing fame and fortune.
? See note s.v. GENIUS. genie was adopted in sense 2 by the French translators of the Arabian Nights' Entertainments on account of its resemblance in both sound and sense to Arab. jinni.