"brainstorm" meaning in English

See brainstorm in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Noun

IPA: /ˈbɹeɪnstɔː(ɹ)m/ Audio: LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-brainstorm.wav [Southern-England], LL-Q1860 (eng)-Wodencafe-brainstorm.wav [US] Forms: brainstorms [plural]
Etymology: brain + storm. In the sense of "problem-solve", devised as a method of group creative problem-solving by advertising executive Alex F. Osborn and his employees, who coined the term based on the image of using "the brain to storm a problem". In the sense of "seizure, convulsion, brain activity", from the unrelated idea that it is like a storm in the brain. Etymology templates: {{compound|en|brain|storm}} brain + storm Head templates: {{en-noun}} brainstorm (plural brainstorms)
  1. (US) A sudden thought, particularly one that solves a long-standing problem. Tags: US Synonyms: brainwave Translations (sudden thought): älynvälähdys (Finnish), välähdys (Finnish), neronleimaus (Finnish), ohia manomano (Maori), aha-upplevelse [common-gender] (Swedish)
    Sense id: en-brainstorm-en-noun-6v1d0eP4 Categories (other): American English, English entries with incorrect language header, English entries with language name categories using raw markup, English entries with topic categories using raw markup Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 31 30 14 9 3 13 Disambiguation of English entries with language name categories using raw markup: 26 22 23 6 6 18 Disambiguation of English entries with topic categories using raw markup: 25 21 22 6 7 19 Disambiguation of 'sudden thought': 92 1 5 2
  2. A session of brainstorming, investigating a problem to try to find solutions.
    Sense id: en-brainstorm-en-noun-nNLkmXtV Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, English entries with language name categories using raw markup, English entries with topic categories using raw markup Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 31 30 14 9 3 13 Disambiguation of English entries with language name categories using raw markup: 26 22 23 6 6 18 Disambiguation of English entries with topic categories using raw markup: 25 21 22 6 7 19
  3. (British) An unexpected mental error. Tags: British Translations (mental error): moka (Finnish), hjärnsläpp [neuter] (Swedish)
    Sense id: en-brainstorm-en-noun-ve1a6mqD Categories (other): British English, English entries with incorrect language header, English entries with language name categories using raw markup, English entries with topic categories using raw markup Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 31 30 14 9 3 13 Disambiguation of English entries with language name categories using raw markup: 26 22 23 6 6 18 Disambiguation of English entries with topic categories using raw markup: 25 21 22 6 7 19 Disambiguation of 'mental error': 0 0 100 0
  4. Alternative form of brain storm (“activity in the brain, such as a seizure or convulsion”) Tags: alt-of, alternative Alternative form of: brain storm (extra: activity in the brain, such as a seizure or convulsion) Categories (topical): Thinking
    Sense id: en-brainstorm-en-noun-x78nKwtN Disambiguation of Thinking: 20 17 6 33 12 12
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Synonyms: brain-storm, brain storm Derived forms: brainstormy

Verb

IPA: /ˈbɹeɪnstɔː(ɹ)m/ Audio: LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-brainstorm.wav [Southern-England], LL-Q1860 (eng)-Wodencafe-brainstorm.wav [US] Forms: brainstorms [present, singular, third-person], brainstorming [participle, present], brainstormed [participle, past], brainstormed [past]
Etymology: brain + storm. In the sense of "problem-solve", devised as a method of group creative problem-solving by advertising executive Alex F. Osborn and his employees, who coined the term based on the image of using "the brain to storm a problem". In the sense of "seizure, convulsion, brain activity", from the unrelated idea that it is like a storm in the brain. Etymology templates: {{compound|en|brain|storm}} brain + storm Head templates: {{en-verb}} brainstorm (third-person singular simple present brainstorms, present participle brainstorming, simple past and past participle brainstormed)
  1. To investigate something, or solve a problem using brainstorming.
    Sense id: en-brainstorm-en-verb-WsPVsZZ4
  2. To participate in a brainstorming session.
    Sense id: en-brainstorm-en-verb-uRK28yzH Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, English entries with language name categories using raw markup, English entries with topic categories using raw markup Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 31 30 14 9 3 13 Disambiguation of English entries with language name categories using raw markup: 26 22 23 6 6 18 Disambiguation of English entries with topic categories using raw markup: 25 21 22 6 7 19
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Synonyms: brain-storm, brain storm Related terms: bounce off (english: usu. with an idea or ideas), spitball, workshop

Inflected forms

Alternative forms

Download JSON data for brainstorm meaning in English (10.9kB)

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          "text": "2005 October 5, \"Iguchi hit ruins Red Sox's night\", BBC Online, 5 October\nA terrible fielding error from Tony Graffanino proved costly. … Aaron Rowand collected an RBI double to get them off the mark before Graffanino's brainstorm. Juan Uribe hit a roller to the second baseman, who let the potential inning-ending double-play ball roll under his glove, leaving runners at first and third bases."
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          "_dis1": "0 0 100 0",
          "code": "fi",
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          "sense": "mental error",
          "word": "moka"
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          "_dis1": "0 0 100 0",
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          "word": "hjärnsläpp"
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          "text": "electrical brainstorm"
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      "audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-brainstorm.wav",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/a/a5/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-brainstorm.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-brainstorm.wav.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/a/a5/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-brainstorm.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-brainstorm.wav.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "Southern-England"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (Southern England)"
    },
    {
      "audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Wodencafe-brainstorm.wav",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/0/0d/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Wodencafe-brainstorm.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Wodencafe-brainstorm.wav.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/0/0d/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Wodencafe-brainstorm.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Wodencafe-brainstorm.wav.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (US)"
    }
  ],
  "synonyms": [
    {
      "word": "brain-storm"
    },
    {
      "word": "brain storm"
    }
  ],
  "wikipedia": [
    "Alex F. Osborn",
    "creative problem-solving"
  ],
  "word": "brainstorm"
}

{
  "categories": [
    "English 2-syllable words",
    "English compound terms",
    "English contranyms",
    "English countable nouns",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English entries with language name categories using raw markup",
    "English entries with topic categories using raw markup",
    "English lemmas",
    "English nouns",
    "English terms with IPA pronunciation",
    "English terms with audio links",
    "English verbs",
    "en:Thinking"
  ],
  "derived": [
    {
      "word": "brainstormy"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "brain",
        "3": "storm"
      },
      "expansion": "brain + storm",
      "name": "compound"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "brain + storm. In the sense of \"problem-solve\", devised as a method of group creative problem-solving by advertising executive Alex F. Osborn and his employees, who coined the term based on the image of using \"the brain to storm a problem\". In the sense of \"seizure, convulsion, brain activity\", from the unrelated idea that it is like a storm in the brain.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "brainstorms",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "brainstorm (plural brainstorms)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "American English"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "I had been working on the problem for weeks, and then I had a brainstorm and saw that the solution was easy."
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A sudden thought, particularly one that solves a long-standing problem."
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(US) A sudden thought, particularly one that solves a long-standing problem."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "brainwave"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "A session of brainstorming, investigating a problem to try to find solutions."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "brainstorming",
          "brainstorming"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "British English"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "2005 October 5, \"Iguchi hit ruins Red Sox's night\", BBC Online, 5 October\nA terrible fielding error from Tony Graffanino proved costly. … Aaron Rowand collected an RBI double to get them off the mark before Graffanino's brainstorm. Juan Uribe hit a roller to the second baseman, who let the potential inning-ending double-play ball roll under his glove, leaving runners at first and third bases."
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "An unexpected mental error."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "mental",
          "mental"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(British) An unexpected mental error."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "British"
      ]
    },
    {
      "alt_of": [
        {
          "extra": "activity in the brain, such as a seizure or convulsion",
          "word": "brain storm"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "electrical brainstorm"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Alternative form of brain storm (“activity in the brain, such as a seizure or convulsion”)"
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "brain storm",
          "brain storm#English"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "alt-of",
        "alternative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈbɹeɪnstɔː(ɹ)m/"
    },
    {
      "audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-brainstorm.wav",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/a/a5/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-brainstorm.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-brainstorm.wav.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/a/a5/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-brainstorm.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-brainstorm.wav.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "Southern-England"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (Southern England)"
    },
    {
      "audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Wodencafe-brainstorm.wav",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/0/0d/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Wodencafe-brainstorm.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Wodencafe-brainstorm.wav.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/0/0d/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Wodencafe-brainstorm.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Wodencafe-brainstorm.wav.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (US)"
    }
  ],
  "synonyms": [
    {
      "word": "brain-storm"
    },
    {
      "word": "brain storm"
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "sudden thought",
      "word": "älynvälähdys"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "sudden thought",
      "word": "välähdys"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "sudden thought",
      "word": "neronleimaus"
    },
    {
      "code": "mi",
      "lang": "Maori",
      "sense": "sudden thought",
      "word": "ohia manomano"
    },
    {
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "sudden thought",
      "tags": [
        "common-gender"
      ],
      "word": "aha-upplevelse"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "mental error",
      "word": "moka"
    },
    {
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "mental error",
      "tags": [
        "neuter"
      ],
      "word": "hjärnsläpp"
    }
  ],
  "wikipedia": [
    "Alex F. Osborn",
    "creative problem-solving"
  ],
  "word": "brainstorm"
}

This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-04-26 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-04-21 using wiktextract (93a6c53 and 21a9316). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.