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

Definitions

  1. plural of brân

Ancestry of “brain”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Welshbrâncrow; rook; raven
2EnglishbranThe broken coat of the seed of wheat, rye, or...
3Middle EnglishbranThe ground husk of wheat
4Old Frenchbrenbran
5Gaulishbrennosrotten
6Proto-Celticbragnosrotten
7Proto-Indo-EuropeanbʰreHg-to smell, to have a strong odour
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰreHg- →Every word from Proto-Celtic bragnos →Every word from Gaulish brennos →