brainy

From Middle English brayny; equivalent to brain +‎ -y.

• IPA^(key): /ˈbɹeɪni/

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• Rhymes: -eɪni

brainy (comparative brainier, superlative brainiest)

1. (informal) Very intellectually capable.

   Synonyms: clever, smart; see also Thesaurus:intelligent

   She's brainy as well as pretty.

2. (rare) Of or relating to the brain.

   Synonym: cerebral

   • 1577 [1548], Thomas Vicary, The Anatomie of the Bodie of Man […], part I, London: […] [F]or the Early English Text Society by N[icholas] Trübner & Co., […], published 1888, page 36:

     You shal vnderstande that there springeth of the brayny substaunce of his for*most Ventrikles, two senewes, […]

   • 1644, Kenelme Digby, Two Treatises. In the One of Which, The Nature of Bodies; in the Other, The Nature of Mans Soule; Is Looked into: in Way of Discovery, of the Immortality of Reasonable Soules., Paris: […] Gilles Blaizot, page 279:

     There is a hammer and an anuile [within the ear]: whereof the hammer, ſtricking vpon the anuile, muſt of neceſſity beate off ſuch litle partes of the brainy ſteames, as flying about do light and ſticke vpon the toppe of the anuile: […]

   • 1727, Robert Greene, The Principles of the Philosophy of the Expansive and Contractive Forces. Or an Inquiry into the Principles of Modern Philosophy, That Is, into the Several Chief Rational Sciences, Which Are Extant. […], Cambridge, Cambs.: […] [A]t the University-Press, by Cornelius Crownfield, […], page 398:

     The Blood, being by the Syſtole or Conſtriction of the Heart Driven out of it in a Fœtus, by it’s Appetite to the Expanſive hovers upon the Baſis, whither the Contractive Force Purſues and Surrounds it, and as the Blood is ſtill Pulſed forwards and Expands it ſelf, and the Nervous or Brainy Subſtance by it’s Contractive Incloſes and Inveſts it, The Beginning of the Arteria Pulmonaris and the Canalis Arterioſus is Formed, and after that, the Aorta with it’s ſeveral Aſcending and Deſcending Branches; […]

   • 1788, C[hristoph] C[hristian] Sturm, translated by a Lady, Reflections on the Works of God, and of His Providence, throughout All Nature, for Every Day in the Year. […], volume I, Edinburgh: […] N. R. Cheyne, […]. Sold by J[ohn,] F[rancis] and C[harles] Rivington, London, and by R[ichard] Cruttwell, Bath, page 301:

     The two white threads, which in reuniting have ſtill left ſome ſpace between them, incloſe five little bags, which are the brainy ſubſtance, and the ſpinal marrow, which goes through to its extremity.

   • 1836, Donald Walker, “[Of the Structure of the Body as connected with Exercise.] Important Circumstances to be noted.”, in Exercises for Ladies; Calculated to Preserve and Improve Beauty, and to Prevent and Correct Personal Defects, Inseparable from Constrained or Careless Habits: Founded on Physiological Principles, London: Thomas Hurst, […], part I (Reasonings on which are founded the Exercises here employed), pages 16–17:

     It is most worthy of observation, that throughout the centre of this flexible spinal column exists a somewhat three-sided tube, for the purpose of containing the portion of the nervous system, improperly denominated the spinal marrow, a nervous or brainy production, on which the sensation and motion of the body and limbs depend, and which is connected superiorly with the greater brain before, and the lesser behind.

   • 1882 June, G. Hamilton, “Obstetrical Observations.—Prolapsus of the Funis.”, in Edinburgh Medical Journal, […], volume XXVII, part II, number XII, Edinburgh: Oliver and Boyd, […]; London: Simpkin, Marshall, and Co., part first (Original Communications), page 1092:

     Besides this, the dislocation of the vertebræ lost me the power of revolving the head or of knowing exactly where my perforations were being made. The first I made did not answer, for I found I could not from it reach the brain. Another, accordingly, was made higher up, and from it a little brainy substance was brought out on the perforator.

   • 1922 December, Louis Rhead, “How to Skin and Mount a Fish: A Knife with Razor-Like Edge, a Pair of Scissors and a Little Patience Will Produce Wonderful Results”, in Forest and Stream, volume XCII, number 12, New York, N.Y.: The Forest and Stream Publishing Company, page 539, column 1:

     If the fish is a large one, say, over three pounds, you must break open the skull from the inside to dig out the white brainy substance, filling the cavity with cotton wadding well mixed with saltpetre, powdered fine.

   • 2003, William Mingin, “Greaves, This Is Serious”, in David G[eddes] Hartwell, Kathryn Cramer, editors, Year’s Best Fantasy, volume 3, New York, N.Y.: Harper Voyager, →ISBN, page 56:

     Could a fellow with such a bulge of brainy matter really fail to understand even one of these three simple terms?

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