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US /ˈbreɪn/ UK /ˈbɹeɪ̯n/
Freq #912

Meanings

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3

Thesaurus

Synonyms
1 noun · the organ inside the head... encephalon
2 noun · mental ability; intelligence. brainpowermental capacitywit
3 noun · a very intelligent person. geniusbrainboxintellectual
More harns
Word family
Forms brainedbrainingbrains
Derived forms addle-brainafterbrainassbrainbeanbrainbeetlebrainbirdbrainblubberbrainbrain-bendingbrain-bucketbrain-crampbrain-damagedbrain-dead

Appears in

Etymology

From Middle English brayn, brain, from Old English bræġn (“brain”), from Proto-West Germanic *bragn, from Proto-Germanic *bragną (“brain”), from Proto-Indo-European *mregʰnom (“skull, brain”), from Proto-Indo-European *mregʰ- (“marrow, sinciput”) + *-mn̥ (“nominal suffix”). Cognate with Scots braine, brane (“brain”), North Frisian brayen, brein, Brain (“brain”), Saterland Frisian Brainge, Bräienge (“brain”), West Frisian brein (“brain”), Dutch brein (“brain”), Low German Brägen, Bregen (“brain”) (whence German Bregen (“animal brain”)), Ancient Greek βρεχμός (brekhmós, “front part of the skull,…

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