"brainteaser" meaning in English

See brainteaser in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Noun

IPA: /ˈbɹeɪnˌtizɚ/ [General-American] Forms: brainteasers [plural], brain teaser [alternative], brain-teaser [alternative]
Etymology: From brain + teaser. Etymology templates: {{compound|en|brain|teaser}} brain + teaser Head templates: {{en-noun}} brainteaser (plural brainteasers)
  1. (informal) A problem or puzzle devised to exercise the brain and mind. Tags: informal Synonyms: brain-tickler
    Sense id: en-brainteaser-en-noun-WtLcnpTH Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, Entries with translation boxes, Pages with 1 entry, Pages with entries, Terms with Czech translations, Terms with German translations, Terms with Greek translations, Terms with Swahili translations, Terms with Swedish translations Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 60 40 Disambiguation of Entries with translation boxes: 64 36 Disambiguation of Pages with 1 entry: 78 22 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 61 39 Disambiguation of Terms with Czech translations: 59 41 Disambiguation of Terms with German translations: 64 36 Disambiguation of Terms with Greek translations: 64 36 Disambiguation of Terms with Swahili translations: 67 33 Disambiguation of Terms with Swedish translations: 65 35
  2. (informal) Any difficult problem or puzzle. Tags: informal Synonyms: stumper, puzzler, enigma
    Sense id: en-brainteaser-en-noun-T~5aShDp
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Related terms: brainteasing Translations (brainteaser): hlavolam [masculine] (Czech), oříšek [masculine] (Czech), Kopfnuss [feminine] (German), Kopfnuß (note: obsolete spelling) [feminine] (German), Denkaufgabe [feminine] (German), Denksportaufgabe [feminine] (German), harte Nuss [feminine] (German), harte Nuß (note: obsolete spelling) [feminine] (German), Knobelei [feminine] (German), σπαζοκεφαλιά (spazokefaliá) [feminine] (Greek), chemsha bongo (Swahili), hjärngymnastik (Swedish)
Disambiguation of 'brainteaser': 0 0

Inflected forms

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    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "brain",
        "3": "teaser"
      },
      "expansion": "brain + teaser",
      "name": "compound"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From brain + teaser.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "brainteasers",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "brain teaser",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "brain-teaser",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
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  "head_templates": [
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      "args": {},
      "expansion": "brainteaser (plural brainteasers)",
      "name": "en-noun"
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  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "related": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
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  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "60 40",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "64 36",
          "kind": "other",
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          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "78 22",
          "kind": "other",
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          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "61 39",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "59 41",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Czech translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "64 36",
          "kind": "other",
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          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "64 36",
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          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "67 33",
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          "name": "Terms with Swahili translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "65 35",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Swedish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              24,
              36
            ]
          ],
          "text": "She bought me a book of brainteasers, which is both entertaining and also supposedly good for decreasing dementia risk.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A problem or puzzle devised to exercise the brain and mind."
      ],
      "id": "en-brainteaser-en-noun-WtLcnpTH",
      "links": [
        [
          "problem",
          "problem"
        ],
        [
          "puzzle",
          "puzzle"
        ],
        [
          "exercise",
          "exercise"
        ],
        [
          "brain",
          "brain"
        ],
        [
          "mind",
          "mind#Noun"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(informal) A problem or puzzle devised to exercise the brain and mind."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "brain-tickler"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "informal"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [],
      "examples": [
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              52,
              63
            ]
          ],
          "text": "Trying to figure out how to square this circle is a brainteaser to say the least.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Any difficult problem or puzzle."
      ],
      "id": "en-brainteaser-en-noun-T~5aShDp",
      "links": [
        [
          "problem",
          "problem"
        ],
        [
          "puzzle",
          "puzzle"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(informal) Any difficult problem or puzzle."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "stumper"
        },
        {
          "word": "puzzler"
        },
        {
          "word": "enigma"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "informal"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈbɹeɪnˌtizɚ/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "code": "cs",
      "lang": "Czech",
      "lang_code": "cs",
      "sense": "brainteaser",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "hlavolam"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "code": "cs",
      "lang": "Czech",
      "lang_code": "cs",
      "sense": "brainteaser",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "oříšek"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "lang_code": "de",
      "sense": "brainteaser",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "Kopfnuss"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "lang_code": "de",
      "note": "obsolete spelling",
      "sense": "brainteaser",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "Kopfnuß"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "lang_code": "de",
      "sense": "brainteaser",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "Denkaufgabe"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "lang_code": "de",
      "sense": "brainteaser",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "Denksportaufgabe"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "lang_code": "de",
      "sense": "brainteaser",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "harte Nuss"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "lang_code": "de",
      "note": "obsolete spelling",
      "sense": "brainteaser",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "harte Nuß"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "lang_code": "de",
      "sense": "brainteaser",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "Knobelei"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "code": "el",
      "lang": "Greek",
      "lang_code": "el",
      "roman": "spazokefaliá",
      "sense": "brainteaser",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "σπαζοκεφαλιά"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "code": "sw",
      "lang": "Swahili",
      "lang_code": "sw",
      "sense": "brainteaser",
      "word": "chemsha bongo"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "lang_code": "sv",
      "sense": "brainteaser",
      "word": "hjärngymnastik"
    }
  ],
  "word": "brainteaser"
}
{
  "categories": [
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    "English countable nouns",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English nouns",
    "Entries with translation boxes",
    "Pages with 1 entry",
    "Pages with entries",
    "Terms with Czech translations",
    "Terms with German translations",
    "Terms with Greek translations",
    "Terms with Swahili translations",
    "Terms with Swedish translations"
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      "name": "compound"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From brain + teaser.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "brainteasers",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "brain teaser",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "brain-teaser",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
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      "expansion": "brainteaser (plural brainteasers)",
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  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "related": [
    {
      "word": "brainteasing"
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  "senses": [
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        "English terms with usage examples"
      ],
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          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              24,
              36
            ]
          ],
          "text": "She bought me a book of brainteasers, which is both entertaining and also supposedly good for decreasing dementia risk.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A problem or puzzle devised to exercise the brain and mind."
      ],
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          "problem",
          "problem"
        ],
        [
          "puzzle",
          "puzzle"
        ],
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          "exercise",
          "exercise"
        ],
        [
          "brain",
          "brain"
        ],
        [
          "mind",
          "mind#Noun"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(informal) A problem or puzzle devised to exercise the brain and mind."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "brain-tickler"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "informal"
      ]
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        "English terms with usage examples"
      ],
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          "bold_text_offsets": [
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              52,
              63
            ]
          ],
          "text": "Trying to figure out how to square this circle is a brainteaser to say the least.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Any difficult problem or puzzle."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "problem",
          "problem"
        ],
        [
          "puzzle",
          "puzzle"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(informal) Any difficult problem or puzzle."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "stumper"
        },
        {
          "word": "puzzler"
        },
        {
          "word": "enigma"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "informal"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈbɹeɪnˌtizɚ/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "cs",
      "lang": "Czech",
      "lang_code": "cs",
      "sense": "brainteaser",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "hlavolam"
    },
    {
      "code": "cs",
      "lang": "Czech",
      "lang_code": "cs",
      "sense": "brainteaser",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "oříšek"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "lang_code": "de",
      "sense": "brainteaser",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "Kopfnuss"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "lang_code": "de",
      "note": "obsolete spelling",
      "sense": "brainteaser",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "Kopfnuß"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "lang_code": "de",
      "sense": "brainteaser",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "Denkaufgabe"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "lang_code": "de",
      "sense": "brainteaser",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "Denksportaufgabe"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "lang_code": "de",
      "sense": "brainteaser",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "harte Nuss"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "lang_code": "de",
      "note": "obsolete spelling",
      "sense": "brainteaser",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "harte Nuß"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "lang_code": "de",
      "sense": "brainteaser",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "Knobelei"
    },
    {
      "code": "el",
      "lang": "Greek",
      "lang_code": "el",
      "roman": "spazokefaliá",
      "sense": "brainteaser",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "σπαζοκεφαλιά"
    },
    {
      "code": "sw",
      "lang": "Swahili",
      "lang_code": "sw",
      "sense": "brainteaser",
      "word": "chemsha bongo"
    },
    {
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "lang_code": "sv",
      "sense": "brainteaser",
      "word": "hjärngymnastik"
    }
  ],
  "word": "brainteaser"
}

Download raw JSONL data for brainteaser meaning in English (3.6kB)


This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2026-01-19 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2026-01-01 using wiktextract (d1270d2 and 9905b1f). 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.