A good or evil spirit, or demon, supposed by the ancients to preside over a man's destiny in life; a tutelary deity; a supernatural being; a spirit, good or bad. Cf. Jinnee.
Peculiar character; animating spirit, as of a nation, a religion, a language.
Genius once meant a personifying or epitomizing spiritual being rather than a brilliant person. See Poetic Genius.
In classical and Renaissance art, usually the guardian spirit of a person, place, thing or concept, often purely decorative, genii are represented in human form, frequently seminude and winged.
in Roman religion, the guardian spirit of every man, his inborn power; the genius of the paterfamilias (head of the family) was honored in the household cult (each woman's attendant spirit was called juno).
A winged semi-nude figure, often purely decorative but frequently representing the guardian spirit of a person or place, or personifying an abract concept or place.
(Latin) according to ancient Roman belief: 1. a guardian spirit assigned to a person at birth; tutelary deity. 2. the guardian spirit of any person or place, etc. 3. either of two spirits, one good and one evil, supposed to influence one's destiny. 4. a person considered as having strong influence over another. 5. same as jinni.
Personification of a nation or group; e.g. the Roman people
In Roman mythology, every man had a genius and every woman a juno (Juno was also the name for the queen of the gods).