a collective genius

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a collective genius" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a group of individuals who together exhibit exceptional intelligence or creativity. Example: "The project was a success due to the contributions of a collective genius that brought together diverse perspectives and skills."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

The circular economy taps into a collective genius for world-changing commerce; companies allied by shared principles are competing, in the very best sense of the word, to do more good.

The Guardian

The deathless man is presented as a key piece in the puzzle, along with the bear-man, the tormented butcher-musician, his long-suffering and deaf Muslim wife who becomes the tiger's wife for reasons too complicated to explain here, and a whole menagerie of other rural Balkan curiosities whose stories are embroidered by a collective genius of superstition.

The Guardian - Books

If you, as a leader, are able to foster a collective genius you hold the key for the success of your entire team in your hands.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

If there can be such a substance as collective genius, the Manics have it.

Independent

More generally, Serra conserves a battered modernist confidence in the collective genius of experts, a priestly class that confers meaning and direction on society.

The New Yorker

One of our leaders called innovation a "team sport," and the way we came to describe it is that truly innovative organizations are consistently able to elicit and then combine their people's individual slices of genius into a single work of collective genius.

Huffington Post

Transition seeks to "unleash the collective genius of a community," as Hopkins often puts it — to unify a town behind a single, critical purpose.

The New York Times - Magazine

Science may be fraught with cutthroat politics and clashing egos, but none of that messy stuff gets into a film, Stephen Holden wrote in The Times, that offers "a largely comforting vision of collective genius balanced by compassion, humor and judicious self-assessment".

The New York Times

They offer a largely comforting vision of collective genius balanced by compassion, humor and judicious self-assessment.

The New York Times

They had learned that casting themselves as a "Follow me!" leader was far less likely to produce the collective genius we described above.

Huffington Post

Rudi Edsall wants our collective genius.

The Guardian - Sport

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "a collective genius", ensure the context clearly demonstrates how the group's combined abilities surpass individual capabilities. This helps emphasize the synergy and collaborative nature of their intelligence.

Common error

Avoid using "a collective genius" to describe ordinary teamwork; reserve it for situations where the group demonstrates exceptional creativity and problem-solving skills that are demonstrably superior to individual contributions.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a collective genius" functions as a noun phrase that describes a group of individuals whose combined intelligence or creativity is exceptionally high. Ludwig provides examples where this phrase is used to describe teams achieving remarkable outcomes through collaboration.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "a collective genius" is a noun phrase used to describe the exceptional combined intelligence or creativity of a group. Ludwig AI analysis indicates it is grammatically correct and commonly used in News & Media, but appears less frequently in other contexts. Using this phrase suggests that the group's abilities are synergistic, surpassing the sum of individual contributions. Consider alternative phrases like ""shared intelligence"" or ""collaborative brilliance"" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

shared intelligence

Focuses on the shared aspect of intelligence within a group rather than emphasizing genius.

group intellect

Highlights the intellectual capacity of a group, omitting the exceptional quality implied by "genius".

collaborative brilliance

Emphasizes the collaborative nature of the brilliance, shifting focus from the inherent genius.

team ingenuity

Highlights the inventiveness and cleverness of a team, rather than a collective, innate genius.

combined wisdom

Stresses the wisdom derived from combining individual knowledge, rather than a collective genius.

collective wisdom

Shifts the focus to the accumulated knowledge and understanding of a group.

synergistic intelligence

Highlights the combined effect where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, emphasizing intelligence.

communal innovation

Focuses on innovation that arises from a community, rather than genius.

unified creativity

Emphasizes the unity and collaboration in creative endeavors, differing from inherent genius.

distributed cognition

Describes a system where cognitive processes are spread across individuals, differing from a concentrated 'genius'.

FAQs

How can I effectively use "a collective genius" in a sentence?

Use "a collective genius" to describe situations where a group's combined intellect or creative ability significantly exceeds the sum of its parts. For example, "The success of the project was due to "a collective genius" within the team".

What phrases can I use instead of "a collective genius"?

Depending on the context, you could use phrases like "shared intelligence", "group intellect", or "collaborative brilliance". Each of these emphasizes different aspects of group intelligence.

Is it appropriate to use "a collective genius" in formal writing?

Yes, "a collective genius" is appropriate for formal writing, especially when describing innovative or high-achieving teams. However, ensure that the context warrants the use of such a strong descriptor.

What distinguishes "a collective genius" from ordinary teamwork?

"A collective genius" implies that the group's combined abilities result in exceptional outcomes that would not be possible with individual efforts alone. It suggests a synergistic effect where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.