ingenious

adjective

in·​ge·​nious in-ˈjēn-yəs How to pronounce ingenious (audio)
1
: having or showing an unusual aptitude for discovering, inventing, or contriving
an ingenious detective
2
: marked by originality, resourcefulness, and cleverness in conception or execution
an ingenious contraption
3
obsolete : showing or calling for intelligence, aptitude, or discernment
ingeniously adverb
ingeniousness noun
Choose the Right Synonym for ingenious

clever, adroit, cunning, ingenious mean having or showing practical wit or skill in contriving.

clever stresses physical or mental quickness, deftness, or great aptitude.

a person clever with horses

adroit often implies a skillful use of expedients to achieve one's purpose in spite of difficulties.

an adroit negotiator

cunning implies great skill in constructing or creating.

a filmmaker cunning in his use of special effects

ingenious suggests the power of inventing or discovering a new way of accomplishing something.

an ingenious software engineer

Examples of ingenious in a Sentence

How many dog-size bathrobes (an ingenious device) are out there? David Colman, Vogue, April 2001
… spacecraft engineers tried to come up with ways to "unstick" the antenna. Those attempts failed, but by ingenious software and mission-sequencing techniques … the Galileo mission was still able to fulfill nearly all of its scientific requirements and return a rich quantity of scientific data … Louis Friedman et al., Encyclopedia of the Solar System, 1999
… an ingenious method of checking errors … W. David Gardner, Datamation, June 1982
The book has an ingenious plot. She was ingenious at finding ways to work more quickly. It was ingenious of him to arrange the schedule so precisely.
Recent Examples on the Web Seven decades later, the seminal indie-rock band Yo La Tengo added an ingenious score, without knowing who Painlevé was or watching much of the films. Carolina Dalia Gonzalez, Vogue, 4 Mar. 2024 And what could be more empowering than to turn a potential train wreck into an ingenious bit of improv? Owen Thomas, The Christian Science Monitor, 26 Feb. 2024 While the addition of leap years almost 2,000 years ago was an ingenious idea, its year-to-year impact isn’t all that significant. Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 15 Feb. 2024 This ingenious device is like a little hammock for your feet, providing you with a cozy space to unwind and enjoy a good nap. Jessica Copeland, Rolling Stone, 7 Feb. 2024 As the sun and Neptune harmonize, an ingenious idea is crystallizing. USA TODAY, 15 Jan. 2024 Jackson’s allegory is ingenious: The American racial drama has become one giant, insular soap opera. Thomas Chatterton Williams, The Atlantic, 9 Feb. 2024 Now, the ingenious Ingenuity helicopter will fly no more. Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 25 Jan. 2024 Over the years, researchers have developed many ingenious schemes, called error-correcting codes, that encode data in different ways and use different procedures to fix errors. Michael Greshko, Quanta Magazine, 10 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ingenious.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English ingenyous, from Middle French ingenieus, from Latin ingeniosus, from ingenium natural capacity — more at engine entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Time Traveler
The first known use of ingenious was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near ingenious

Cite this Entry

“Ingenious.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ingenious. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

ingenious

adjective
in·​ge·​nious in-ˈjēn-yəs How to pronounce ingenious (audio)
: having or showing ingenuity : very clever
an ingenious plan
ingeniously adverb
ingeniousness noun
Etymology

from early French ingenieus "calling for or showing special intelligence or cleverness," from Latin ingeniosus (same meaning), from ingenium "natural ability or desire to do something, inborn ability," from in "in" and -genium, from gignere "to father, beget" — related to engine, genius, gin entry 1

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