brain

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   The organ inside the head that controls thought, memory, feeling, and movement.

   The human brain is an incredibly complex organ.

2. 2
   noun

   Mental ability; intelligence.

   He's got plenty of brains but no common sense.

3. 3
   noun

   A very intelligent person.

   She was the brain of the team.

Common collocations

• human brain Adjective + noun
• use your brain Verb + noun
• damage the brain Verb + noun
• train the brain Verb + noun
• analytical brain Adjective + noun
• stimulate the brain Verb + noun

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,…

Topics