Genius vs. Intelligent: Know the Difference
By Shumaila Saeed || Updated on December 25, 2023
Genius refers to exceptional intellectual or creative power, often innate, while intelligence denotes the ability to acquire and apply knowledge and skills.
Key Differences
Genius is typically seen as an extraordinary level of intelligence or creative ability, often innate and unique to an individual. Intelligence, in contrast, refers to the general cognitive ability to learn, understand, and apply knowledge effectively.
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Dec 18, 2023
A genius often breaks new ground in their field, displaying creativity and insight that significantly deviate from the norm. Intelligence, however, can be found at various levels and is more about the effective processing and application of knowledge.
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Dec 18, 2023
Historically, "genius" has been associated with remarkable contributions to art, science, or another field, suggesting a transformative impact. Intelligence, on the other hand, does not necessarily imply such extraordinary achievements but rather denotes a high level of mental capability.
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Dec 18, 2023
Genius is often associated with innate talent combined with creativity, resulting in exceptional achievements or insights. Intelligence is a broader concept that includes the ability to reason, plan, solve problems, think abstractly, and understand complex ideas.
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Dec 18, 2023
While a genius is often perceived as someone with exceptional intellectual or creative prowess that sets them apart from the average person, intelligence is a more common trait and can be developed and improved over time.
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Dec 18, 2023
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Comparison Chart
Definition
Exceptional intellectual or creative power
Ability to acquire and apply knowledge and skills
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Association
With groundbreaking, transformative work
With effective processing and application of knowledge
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Focus
Creativity, insight, transformative impact
Reasoning, problem-solving, understanding
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Genius and Intelligent Definitions
Genius
A genius is someone with exceptional intellectual or creative power.
Mozart displayed his genius through his compositions from a very young age.
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Intelligent
Intelligent refers to the ability to learn, understand, and apply information effectively.
Intelligent students often grasp complex concepts quickly.
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Genius
Genius can also mean a person with a very high IQ, typically above 140.
Members of Mensa are often considered geniuses due to their high IQ scores.
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Intelligent
Being intelligent can mean being able to reason and think logically.
An intelligent debate involves presenting logical arguments.
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Genius
Genius refers to exceptional natural ability of an extraordinary kind.
Einstein is often cited as a genius for his groundbreaking work in physics.
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Intelligent
In psychology, intelligence is assessed by standardized tests measuring cognitive abilities.
Intelligent individuals tend to score high on IQ tests.
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Genius
Genius can refer to a person who influences others with their remarkable creativity.
Steve Jobs was considered a genius for revolutionizing the technology industry.
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Intelligent
Having intelligence
Is there intelligent life elsewhere in the galaxy?.
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Genius
Extraordinary intellectual and creative power
Artistic works of genius.
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Intelligent
Having a high degree of intelligence; mentally acute
An intelligent student.
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Intelligent
Showing sound judgment and rationality
An intelligent decision.
An intelligent solution to the problem.
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Genius
A person who has an exceptionally high intelligence quotient, typically above 140.
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Intelligent
Appealing to the intellect; intellectual
A film with witty and intelligent dialogue.
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Genius
A strong natural talent, aptitude, or inclination
Has a genius for choosing the right words.
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Intelligent
Well thought-out, well considered.
The engineer had a very intelligent design proposal for the new car.
The general devised an intelligent strategy for the southern campaign.
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Genius
The prevailing spirit or distinctive character, as of a place, a person, or an era
The genius of Elizabethan England.
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Intelligent
Characterized by thoughtful interaction.
My girlfriend and I had an intelligent conversation.
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Genius
Pl. ge·ni·i (jēnē-ī′) Roman Mythology A tutelary deity or guardian spirit of a person or place.
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Intelligent
Having at least a similar level of brain power to humankind.
The hunt for intelligent life.
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Genius
Someone possessing extraordinary intelligence or skill; especially somebody who has demonstrated this by a creative or original work in science, music, art etc.
Idiot savant
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Intelligent
Having an environment-sensing automatically-invoked built-in computer capability.
An intelligent network or keyboard
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Intelligent
Endowed with the faculty of understanding or reason; as, man is an intelligent being.
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Genius
Inspiration, a mental leap, an extraordinary creative process.
A work of genius
To add a dash of cinnamon amid such umami was pure genius
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Intelligent
Possessed of a high level of intelligence, education, or judgment; knowing; sensible; skilled; exhibiting high intelligence; as, an intelligent young man; an intelligent architect; an intelligent answer.
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Genius
The tutelary deity or spirit of a place or person.
And the genius of the place: the growing enthusiasm for codified standards in the Army and Navy
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Intelligent
Cognizant; aware; communicative.
Intelligent of seasons.
Which are to France the spies and speculationsIntelligent of our state.
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Genius
(informal) Ingenious, brilliant, very clever, or original.
What a genius idea!
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Intelligent
Having the capacity for thought and reason especially to a high degree;
Is there intelligent life in the universe?
An intelligent question
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Genius
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.
The unseen genius of the wood.
We talk of genius still, but with thought how changed! The genius of Augustus was a tutelary demon, to be sworn by and to receive offerings on an altar as a deity.
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Genius
The peculiar structure of mind with which each individual is endowed by nature; that disposition or aptitude of mind which is peculiar to each man, and which qualifies him for certain kinds of action or special success in any pursuit; special taste, inclination, or disposition; as, a genius for history, for poetry, or painting.
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Intelligent
Exercising or showing good judgment;
Healthy scepticism
A healthy fear of rattlesnakes
The healthy attitude of French laws
Healthy relations between labor and management
An intelligent solution
A sound approach to the problem
Sound advice
No sound explanation for his decision
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Genius
Peculiar character; animating spirit, as of a nation, a religion, a language.
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Genius
Distinguished mental superiority; uncommon intellectual power; especially, superior power of invention or origination of any kind, or of forming new combinations; as, a man of genius.
Genius of the highest kind implies an unusual intensity of the modifying power.
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Intelligent
It denotes having good understanding or a high mental capacity.
She was intelligent enough to solve the problem on her own.
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Genius
A man endowed with uncommon vigor of mind; a man of superior intellectual faculties and creativity; as, Shakespeare was a rare genius.
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Intelligent
Intelligence often involves the skillful use of reason and logic.
His intelligent approach to research won him many accolades.
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Genius
Someone who has exceptional intellectual ability and originality;
Mozart was a child genius
He's smart but he's no Einstein
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Genius
A natural talent;
He has a flair for mathematics
He has a genius for interior decorating
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Genius
In historical context, a genius was often seen as a guiding spirit.
In Roman culture, a genius was thought to be a divine element present in every individual.
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Repeatedly Asked Queries
Is genius the same as high intelligence?
Not exactly; while all geniuses are highly intelligent, not all highly intelligent people are considered geniuses.
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Dec 18, 2023
Can intelligence be improved?
Yes, intelligence can be developed and improved through education and practice.
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Are geniuses born or made?
The concept of genius often includes innate talent, though it can be developed through effort and experience.
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Dec 18, 2023
What defines a genius?
A genius is defined by exceptional intellectual or creative ability.
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Dec 18, 2023
What does being intelligent mean?
Being intelligent means having the ability to learn, understand, and apply knowledge effectively.
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Is intelligence measurable?
Yes, intelligence is often measured using IQ tests and other assessments.
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Can someone be intelligent but not creative?
Yes, it's possible to be intelligent without being exceptionally creative.
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Are all geniuses recognized for their abilities?
Not necessarily; some geniuses may not gain recognition for various reasons.
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How is intelligence tested?
Intelligence is often tested through standardized IQ tests and cognitive assessments.
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Do intelligent people always perform well in school?
Not always, as performance in school can be influenced by various factors besides intelligence.
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Is intelligence the same as knowledge?
No, intelligence is about applying and understanding knowledge, not just having it.
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Dec 18, 2023
Do geniuses always have high IQs?
While geniuses often have high IQs, high IQ alone does not define a genius.
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Dec 18, 2023
Is creativity a sign of intelligence?
Creativity can be a component of intelligence, particularly in problem-solving.
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Dec 18, 2023
Can geniuses have difficulty in social interactions?
Some geniuses might have social difficulties, but this is not a universal trait.
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Are there different types of intelligence?
Yes, theories like Gardner's propose multiple types of intelligence, including emotional and spatial intelligence.
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Do geniuses always excel in academic fields?
Geniuses may excel in various fields, not limited to academics.
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Can intelligence be specific to a field?
Yes, someone can be intelligent in specific areas like math, music, or languages.
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Is genius always associated with success?
Genius does not guarantee success, as it depends on various factors.
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Can environmental factors influence intelligence?
Yes, factors like education, culture, and experiences can influence intelligence.
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Can a person be a genius in one area but average in others?
Yes, it's possible to have exceptional ability in one area while being average in others.
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About Author
Written by
Shumaila SaeedShumaila Saeed, an expert content creator with 6 years of experience, specializes in distilling complex topics into easily digestible comparisons, shining a light on the nuances that both inform and educate readers with clarity and accuracy.
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