ingenuity

[ in-juh-noo-i-tee, -nyoo- ]

noun

, plural in·ge·nu·i·ties

1. the quality of being cleverly inventive or resourceful; inventiveness:

   a designer of great ingenuity.

2. cleverness or skillfulness of conception or design:

   a device of great ingenuity.

3. an ingenious contrivance or device.
4. Obsolete. ingenuousness.

ingenuity

/ ˌɪndʒɪˈnjuːɪtɪ /

noun

1. inventive talent; cleverness
2. an ingenious device, act, etc
3. archaic.
   frankness; candour

Other Words From

• hyper·inge·nui·ty noun
• super·inge·nui·ty noun plural superingenuities

Word History and Origins

Origin of ingenuity¹

First recorded in 1590–1600; from Latin ingenuitās “innate virtue, etc.” ( ingenuous, -ity ); current senses by association with ingenious

Word History and Origins

Origin of ingenuity¹

C16: from Latin ingenuitās a freeborn condition, outlook consistent with such a condition, from ingenuus native, freeborn (see ingenuous ); meaning influenced by ingenious

Example Sentences

Mamie Price, the Barclays’s cook, is a woman whose ingenuity and artistry far surpass the circumscribed opportunities available to her.

From Washington Post

The ingenuity of Starship is that it just “belly-flops” all the way down—a type of free fall in which the atmosphere gradually slows down its speed.

From Singularity Hub 

Because it depends on the changing abilities of classical computers and the ingenuity of those coding them, it’s still a moving benchmark.

From Singularity Hub 

In fact, Google will emerge stronger than ever in 2021 because of its scale, leadership, and ingenuity.

From Search Engine Land

The result is a celebration of ingenuity, what we can accomplish together when challenges both personal and global arise.

From Popular-Science

The public cheered Holmes when she broke away from Cruise with a similar element of challenge and ingenuity.

From The Daily Beast

Seven Elements That Changed The World: An Adventure of Ingenuity and Discovery is published by Pegasus Books/W.

From The Daily Beast

The legal gymnastics necessary to create such impenetrable networks is a testament to the ingenuity of well-paid attorneys.

From The Daily Beast

Again, there was a big step forward in ingenuity and, again, there was a big step back in guts.

From The Daily Beast

We hide behind science, in other words, and then pat ourselves on the back for our ingenuity.

From The Daily Beast

A still more signal triumph to American ingenuity was accorded on Thursday.

From Project Gutenberg

These problems will exercise all the ingenuity and strength that Lombard Street can muster.

From Project Gutenberg

The following epigrams for tobacco jars from "The Tobacco Plant" evince much "taste, wit, and ingenuity."

From Project Gutenberg

De Lothbinière has shown ingenuity in thus making bricks without straw.

From Project Gutenberg

Their cities were well laid out, and presented evidence of educated minds and mechanical ingenuity.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• ability
• brilliance
• dexterity
• flair
• genius
• gumption
• intelligence
• inventiveness
• resourcefulness
• shrewdness
• skill
• talent
• wisdom
• wit