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brain

Pronunciation: /ˈbɹeɪ̯n/

The English word “brain” has 16 meanings listed here.

noun

  1. The control center of the central nervous system of an animal located in the skull, consisting of the cerebrum, cerebellum, and brainstem, which is responsible for perception, cognition, attention, memory, emotion, and action.
  2. A part of the brain, especially associated with particular mental functions, abilities, etc.
  3. skull; head
  4. Mind.
  5. Intellect.
  6. An intelligent person.
  7. A person who provides the intelligence required for something.
  8. An intellectual or mental capacity.
  9. By analogy with a human brain, the part of a machine or computer that performs calculations.
  10. Oral sex.
  11. A loose compartment of a backpack that straps on over the top opening.

verb

  1. To dash out the brains of; to kill by smashing the skull.
  2. To strike (someone) on the head.
  3. To destroy; to put an end to.
  4. To conceive in the mind; to understand.
  5. To think effectively.

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English brayn, from Old English bræġn, from Proto-West Germanic *bragn, from Proto-Germanic *bragną, from Proto-Indo-European *mrógʰ-n̥ ~ *mrégʰ-n̥-s, from *mregʰ- + *-n̥. 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…

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Definitions are from Wiktionary, extracted by Kaikki.org, and are available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.