Genie is a spirit of Arabian
folklore, as traditionally depicted
imprisoned within a bottle or oil
lamp, and capable of granting wishes
when summoned.

Origin:
mid 17th century (denoting a guardian
or protective spirit): from French
génie, from Latin genius (see genius).
Génie was adopted in the current
sense by the 18th-century French
translators of The Arabian Nights’
Entertainments, because of its
resemblance in form and sense to
Arabic jinnī ‘jinni.’