genius loci*: Meaning and Definition of

ge•ni•us lo•ci

Pronunciation: (gen'i-oos" lō'kē Eng. jē'nē-&schwas lō'sī, -kī), [key]
— Latin. Latin.
  1. guardian of a place.
  2. the distinctive character or atmosphere of a place with reference to the impression that it makes on the mind.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.