genie

American  

[jee-nee] / ˈdʒi ni /

noun

1. Islamic Mythology. jinn.

2. a spirit, often appearing in human form, that when summoned by a person carries out the wishes of the summoner.

3. any spirit; demon.

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genie ¹ British  

/ ˈdʒiːnɪ /

noun

1. (in fairy tales and stories) a servant who appears by magic and fulfils a person's wishes

2. another word for jinni

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Genie ² British  

/ ˈdʒiːnɪ /

noun

1. an award given by the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television in recognition of Canadian cinematic achievements

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Etymology

Origin of genie

1645–55; < French génie < Latin genius; see genius

Explanation

A genie is a mythological spirit. In stories, most genies are described as magical beings that live inside lamps or bottles and grant people's wishes. The word genie comes from the French génie, a word that was coined for the French translation of the book Arabian Nights and comes from the Arabic jinni. Genies were a staple of ancient Arabian myths, and later of Islamic folktales. If you've ever seen the movie Aladdin, you know the popular version of a genie, who appears to grant wishes after being summoned from an oil lamp.

Example Sentences

College sports leaders are trying to squeeze the genie back into the bottle—witness the president’s new executive order commanding transfer and eligibility limits, among other items—but it’s hard to see the landscape changing soon.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 7, 2026

"I don't know how you put the genie back in the bottle but the issue is among us and we can't row back," she says.

From BBC • Oct. 7, 2025

“Oh. I’m sorry,” the genie proclaimed after a short pause.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 23, 2025

The Epstein genie is out of the bottle.

From Salon • Jul. 28, 2025

Like a genie swirling out of a bottle—like a cloud of gas—I was drifting upward out of my own body.

From "The Things They Carried" by Tim O'Brien