Where does “brainpower” come from?
Brainpower combines brain from Middle English brayn, from Proto-Germanic bragną, with power from Latin potens, from Proto-Indo-European pótis meaning master or lord.
brainpower (English): Mental ability; intelligence; Intelligent people...
Definitions
- Mental ability; intelligence; Intelligent people...
Ancestry of “brainpower”, step by step
brainpower traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English Power
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Power | A button of a computer, a video game console, or... |
| 2 | Middle English | power | Ability, power or capability |
| 3 | Anglo-Norman | poer | — |
| 4 | Latin | potēre | — |
| 5 | Latin | posse | present active infinitive of possum "to be able... |
| 6 | Latin | potis | able, capable, possible |
| 7 | Proto-Italic | potis | master, in control of |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | pótis | master, ruler; husband |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | ph₃tis | — |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | peh₃- | to drink |
via English brain
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | brain | The control center of the central nervous system... |
| 2 | Middle English | brayn | The brain or cerebrum; the organ of thought;... |
| 3 | Old English | bræġn | brain |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | *bragn | brain |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | bragną | brain |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | mregʰnom | skull, brain |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | men- | to think, mind; spiritual activity; to stay,... |