Alternative forms

• brain-storm
• brain storm

Etymology

From brain +‎ stormCategory:English compound terms#BRAINSTORM. In the sense of "problem-solve", devised as a method of group creative problem-solving by advertising executive Alex F. Osborn^[1] and his employees, who coined the term based on the image of using "the brain to storm a problem".^[2] First use appears c. 1945. In the sense of "seizure, convulsion, brain activity", from the unrelated idea that it resembles a storm in the brain. First use appears c. 1861.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈbɹeɪnstɔːm/Category:English 2-syllable words#BRAINSTORMCategory:English terms with IPA pronunciation#BRAINSTORM

  • Audio (Southern England):

    (file)

    Category:English terms with audio pronunciation#BRAINSTORM
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈbɹeɪnstɔɹm/Category:English 2-syllable words#BRAINSTORMCategory:English terms with IPA pronunciation#BRAINSTORM

  • Audio (US):

    (file)

    Category:English terms with audio pronunciation#BRAINSTORM
• Rhymes: -eɪnstɔː(ɹ)mCategory:Rhymes:English/eɪnstɔː(ɹ)m#BRAINSTORMCategory:Rhymes:English/eɪnstɔː(ɹ)m/2 syllables#BRAINSTORM

Verb

brainstorm (third-person singular simple present brainstorms, present participle brainstorming, simple past and past participle brainstormed)Category:English lemmas#BRAINSTORMCategory:English verbs#BRAINSTORMCategory:English entries with incorrect language header#BRAINSTORMCategory:Pages with entries#BRAINSTORMCategory:Pages with 1 entry#BRAINSTORM

1. (intransitiveCategory:English intransitive verbs#BRAINSTORM) To investigate something, or solve a problem using brainstorming.
   • 2017 August 27, Brandon Nowalk, “Game Of Thrones slows down for the longest, and best, episode of the season (newbies)”, in The Onion AV Club‎:

     Meanwihle at Winterfell, another overdone scheme designed mainly to surprise the audience. In the black of her chambers, Sansa brainstorms with Littlefinger what Arya could want. “After she murders you, what does she become?” he asks. To which Sansa does everything but gasp and spit-take, widening her eyes and saying like she’s just realizing it for the first time, “Lady of Winterfell.”

     Category:English terms with quotations#BRAINSTORM

   • 2022 September 27, Barclay Bram, “My Therapist, the Robot”, in The New York Times‎:

     On another occasion, when trying to brainstorm things I could do to make myself feel better despite all the pandemic restrictions, Woebot suggested I “try doing something nice for someone in your life,” like make a calming tea for my housemate or check in with a loved one.

     Category:English terms with quotations#BRAINSTORM

2. (intransitiveCategory:English intransitive verbs#BRAINSTORM) To participate in a brainstorming session.
3. (transitiveCategory:English transitive verbs#BRAINSTORM) To think up (ideas); especially, to do so creatively.

   Coordinate terms: brainchildCategory:English links with manual fragments#BRAINSTORM (rare), ideate

   I need you to brainstorm some suggestions for next week's activity schedule.Category:English terms with usage examples#BRAINSTORM

Noun

brainstorm (plural brainstorms)Category:English lemmas#BRAINSTORMCategory:English nouns#BRAINSTORMCategory:English countable nouns#BRAINSTORMCategory:English entries with incorrect language header#BRAINSTORMCategory:Pages with entries#BRAINSTORMCategory:Pages with 1 entry#BRAINSTORM

1. (USCategory:American English#BRAINSTORM) A sudden thought, particularly one that solves a long-standing problem.

   Synonym: brainwave

   I had been working on the problem for weeks, and then I had a brainstorm and saw that the solution was easy.Category:English terms with usage examples#BRAINSTORM

2. A session of brainstorming, investigating a problem to try to find solutions.
3. (BritishCategory:British English#BRAINSTORM) An unexpected mental error.
   • 2005 October 5, "Iguchi hit ruins Red Sox's night", BBC Online, 5 October

     A terrible fielding error from Tony Graffanino proved costly. [...] Aaron Rowand collected an RBI double to get them off the mark before Graffanino's brainstorm. Juan Uribe hit a roller to the second baseman, who let the potential inning-ending double-play ball roll under his glove, leaving runners at first and third bases.

4. Alternative form of brain storm (“activity in the brain, such as a seizure or convulsion”).

   electrical brainstormCategory:English terms with collocations#BRAINSTORM

References