Where does “shatterbrained” come from?

shatterbrained (English) comes from English brained, from English brain, from Middle English brayn, from Old English bræġn, from Proto-West Germanic *bragn, from Proto-Germanic bragną, from Proto-Indo-European mregʰnom, from Proto-Indo-European men- — to think, mind; spiritual activity; to stay,...

shatterbrained (English): disordered or wandering in intellect; hence,...

Definitions

  1. disordered or wandering in intellect; hence,...

Ancestry of “shatterbrained”, step by step

shatterbrained traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English brained

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishbrainedHaving a particular kind or number of brain;...
2EnglishbrainThe control center of the central nervous system...
3Middle EnglishbraynThe brain or cerebrum; the organ of thought;...
4Old Englishbræġnbrain
5Proto-West Germanic*bragnbrain
6Proto-Germanicbragnąbrain
7Proto-Indo-Europeanmregʰnomskull, brain
8Proto-Indo-Europeanmen-to think, mind; spiritual activity; to stay,...

via English shatter

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishshatterto violently break something into pieces; to...
2Middle Englishschaterento scatter, dash
3Old Englishscaterian
4Proto-Germanicskat-to smash, scatter
Every word from Proto-Indo-European men-
shatterbrained — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer