ingenious Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. adjective satellite showing inventiveness and skill
    clever; cunning.
    • a clever gadget
    • the cunning maneuvers leading to his success
    • an ingenious solution to the problem

WordNet

In*gen"ious adjective
Etymology
L. ingeniosus, fr. ingenium innate or natural quality, natural capacity, genius: cf. F. ingénieux. See Engine.
Definitions
  1. Possessed of genius, or the faculty of invention; skillful or promp to invent; having an aptitude to contrive, or to form new combinations; as, an ingenious author, mechanic.
    A man . . . very wise and ingenious in feats of war. Hakluyt.
    Thou, king, send out For torturers ingenious. Shak.
    The more ingenious men are, the more apt are they to trouble themselves. Sir W. Temple.
  2. Proseeding from, pertaining to, or characterized by, genius or ingenuity; of curious design, structure, or mechanism; as, an ingenious model, or machine; an ingenious scheme, contrivance, etc.
    Thus men go wrong with an ingenious skill. Cowper.
  3. Witty; shrewd; adroit; keen; sagacious; as, an ingenious reply.
  4. Mental; intellectual. Obs.
    A course of learning and ingenious studies. Shak.

Webster 1913