Standard Lemma guide

brains

name · noun · verb · 6 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /bɹeɪnz/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -eɪnz
  • CMU ARPABET: B R EY1 N Z Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

name

Meaning 1

plural of Brain

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: form-of, plural

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

plural of brain

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: form-of, plural

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

The substance of a brain, as a material or foodstuff.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: plural, plural-only

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

The figurative substance of a brain: mental ability, intelligence.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: informal, plural, plural-only

Examples

  • Sadly, I got my brains from my mom and my looks from the mailman.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

The intelligent person or people in a group: the director, planner, administrator, etc.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: informal, plural, plural-only, with-definite-article

Examples

  • Who's the brains behind this operation?

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

verb

Meaning 6

third-person singular simple present indicative of brain

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: form-of, indicative, present, singular, third-person

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

25 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: نخاعات (nxāʕāt) — as food
  • Bulgarian: мозък (mozǎk) — as food
  • Esperanto: cerbaĵo — as food
  • French: cervelle — as food
  • Hungarian: agyvelő — as food
  • Hungarian: velő — as food
  • Polish: móżdżek — as food
  • Russian: мозги́ (mozgí) — as food
  • Bulgarian: акъл (akǎl) — (informal) intelligence, aptitude
  • French: cervelle — (informal) intelligence, aptitude
  • Hungarian: ész — (informal) intelligence, aptitude
  • Hungarian: gógyi — (informal) intelligence, aptitude
  • Spanish: seso — (informal) intelligence, aptitude
  • Spanish: sesera — (informal) intelligence, aptitude
  • Spanish: mollera — (informal) intelligence, aptitude
  • Spanish: entendederas — (informal) intelligence, aptitude
  • Bulgarian: ум (um) — (informal, with “the”) the intelligent person or people in a group: the director, planner, administrator, etc.
  • Hungarian: ész — (informal, with “the”) the intelligent person or people in a group: the director, planner, administrator, etc.
  • Hungarian: agy — (informal, with “the”) the intelligent person or people in a group: the director, planner, administrator, etc.
  • Hungarian: észlény — (informal, with “the”) the intelligent person or people in a group: the director, planner, administrator, etc.
  • Hungarian: nagyágyú — (informal, with “the”) the intelligent person or people in a group: the director, planner, administrator, etc.
  • Hungarian: koponya — (informal, with “the”) the intelligent person or people in a group: the director, planner, administrator, etc.
  • Hungarian: értelmi szerző — (informal, with “the”) the intelligent person or people in a group: the director, planner, administrator, etc.
  • Hungarian: agytröszt — (informal, with “the”) the intelligent person or people in a group: the director, planner, administrator, etc.
  • Italian: testa pensante — (informal, with “the”) the intelligent person or people in a group: the director, planner, administrator, etc.