Where does “brain” come from?
brain (Welsh) comes from Welsh brân, from English bran, from Middle English bran, from Old French bren, from Gaulish brennos, from Proto-Celtic bragnos, from Proto-Indo-European bʰreHg- — to smell, to have a strong odour.
brain (Welsh): plural of brân
Ancestry of “brain”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Welsh | brân | crow; rook; raven |
| 2 | English | bran | The broken coat of the seed of wheat, rye, or... |
| 3 | Middle English | bran | — |
| 4 | Old French | bren | bran |
| 5 | Gaulish | brennos | rotten |
| 6 | Proto-Celtic | bragnos | rotten |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰreHg- | to smell, to have a strong odour |