In-ġēn'ioŭs, a.
(in-jēn'yus) (Synop., § 130), a. [Lat. ingeniosus, from ingenium, innate or natural quality, natural capacity, genius, from prefix in and genere, gignere, to beget, in passive to be born; It. ingenioso, ingegnoso, Sp. ingenioso, O. Sp. ingeñoso, Fr. ingénieux, O. Fr. engignous, Pr. enginhos.]
Sense 1. Possessed of genius, or the faculty of invention; hence, skillful or prompt to invent; having an aptitude to contrive, or to form new combinations of ideas; as, an ingenious author; an ingenious mechanic.
Send out for torturers ingenious. Shak.
The more ingenious men are, the more apt are they to trouble themselves. Sir W. Temple.
Sense 2. Proceeding from, or pertaining to, or characterized by, genius or ingenuity; of curious design, structure, or mechanism; as, an ingenious performance; an ingenious scheme, model, or machine; ingenious fabric; ingenious contrivance.
Sense 3. Witty; well formed; well adapted; as, an ingenious reply.
Sense 4. Mental; intellectual. [Obs.] “A course of learning and ingenious studies.” Shak.