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brainy

[brey-nee]
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adjective, brain·i·er, brain·i·est. Informal.
  1. intelligent; clever; intellectual.
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Origin of brainy

First recorded in 1835–45; brain + -y1
Related formsbrain·i·ly, adverbbrain·i·ness, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for brainier

Historical Examples

  • Mr. Mix knew that he was brainier than John Starkweather; he admitted it.

    Rope

    Holworthy Hall

  • Mr. Miller: "I believed them sincere particularly the brainier men."

  • Rosalind not like Beatrice, Eleanor like Beatrice, only wilder and brainier.

    This Side of Paradise

    F. Scott Fitzgerald

British Dictionary definitions for brainier

brainy

adjective brainier or brainiest
  1. informal clever; intelligent
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Derived Formsbrainily, adverbbraininess, noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for brainier

brainy

adj.

1845, from brain (n.) + -y (2). Latin equivalent cerebrosus meant "passionate, hot-headed," leading Tucker to remark that " 'Brainy' is not a natural expression for 'frantic.' "

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper