Brainwave: meaning, definitions and examples

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brainwave

 

[ ˈbreɪnˌweɪv ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

mental activity

A brainwave is a sudden clever idea or plan.

Synonyms

idea, insight, thought

Examples of usage

  • I had a brainwave - let's paint the house pink!
  • She had a brainwave and came up with a solution to the problem.
Context #2 | Noun

neuroscience

A brainwave is a pattern of electrical activity in the brain.

Synonyms

brain activity, neural activity

Examples of usage

  • The EEG showed abnormal brainwaves in the patient.
  • Brainwaves can be measured using specialized equipment.

Translations

Translations of the word "brainwave" in other languages:

🇵🇹 onda cerebral

🇮🇳 मस्तिष्क तरंग

🇩🇪 Gehirnwelle

🇮🇩 gelombang otak

🇺🇦 мозкова хвиля

🇵🇱 fala mózgowa

🇯🇵 脳波 (のうは)

🇫🇷 onde cérébrale

🇪🇸 onda cerebral

🇹🇷 beyin dalgası

🇰🇷 뇌파 (noe-pa)

🇸🇦 موجة دماغية

🇨🇿 mozková vlna

🇸🇰 mozgová vlna

🇨🇳 脑波 (nǎobō)

🇸🇮 možganski val

🇮🇸 heilaalda

🇰🇿 ми толқыны

🇬🇪 ტვინის ტალღა

🇦🇿 beyin dalğası

🇲🇽 onda cerebral

Etymology

The term 'brainwave' originated in the early 1900s, combining 'brain' and 'wave' to describe the electrical activity of the brain. It has since evolved to also refer to a sudden clever idea or plan in everyday language.

See also: brain, braincase, brainiac, brainpan, brainpower, brains, brainstorm, brainstorming, brainteaser, brainwash, brainwashing, brainworm, brainy.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranking #38,152, this word is encountered relatively rarely in everyday English. It might appear in literary works or specialized texts but isn't essential for general communication.