brainiac

[ brey-nee-ak ]

noun

1. a highly intelligent person.

brainiac

/ ˈbreɪnɪˌæk /

noun

1. informal.
   a highly intelligent person

Word History and Origins

Origin of brainiac¹

From Brainiac, a superintelligent, villainous alien in the Superman comics, probably brain + (man)iac

Word History and Origins

Origin of brainiac¹

C20: from a super-intelligent character in an American comic strip

Example Sentences

OK brainiac, but how do you know the right way to prepare this photon to get it to carry as much information as possible about the thing you want to measure?

From Salon

Revolori's amiable turn as the band's well-read brainiac keeps a group that primarily depends on edged weapons and acrobatics connected to its large-heartedness.

From Salon

Holmes literally modeled her look and demeanor after Steve Jobs, which was such a weird thing to do that it only reinforced her image as a quirky brainiac.

From Salon

“That was the night this wild-eyed mad-scientist dude came by. I could tell he was a brainiac. One of those absentminded-professor types, you know what I mean?”

From Literature

“She was smart and she did her work, but she wasn’t an annoying brainiac.”

From New York Times