Where does “brainstorm” come from?
Brainstorm comes from English brain and English storm, themselves from Middle English brayn (from Proto-Germanic sturmaz, meaning tumult) and Middle English storm, ultimately tracing to Proto-Indo-European roots.
brainstorm (English): To investigate something, or solve a problem...
Definitions
- To investigate something, or solve a problem...
Ancestry of “brainstorm”, step by step
brainstorm traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
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,... |
via English storm
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | storm | Any disturbed state of the atmosphere, especially... |
| 2 | Middle English | storm | A storm; an instance of intense wind and... |
| 3 | Old English | storm | storm |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | *sturm | storm |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | sturmaz | storm |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)twer- | to rotate, swirl, twirl, move around; to turn... |