brain wave

[ breyn weyv ]

noun

1. Usually brain waves. Medicine/Medical. an electrical impulse given off by brain tissue, occurring at a frequency that varies according to mental state or activity, such as the slow waves associated with deep sleep and the fast waves associated with actively engaged thoughts and speech. Compare alpha rhythm ( def ), beta rhythm ( def ), delta rhythm ( def ).
2. Informal. a sudden idea or inspiration; brainstorm.

brain wave

noun

1. See delta rhythm, beta rhythm, alpha rhythm
   any of the fluctuations of electrical potential in the brain as represented on an electroencephalogram. They vary in frequency from 1 to 30 hertz See also alpha rhythm beta rhythm delta rhythm

Word History and Origins

Origin of brain wave¹

First recorded in 1865–70

Example Sentences

Some companies already sell brain monitoring systems made of electrodes that measure external brain waves with a method called electroencephalography.

From Science News

NeuroRex uses a wearable electrode cap that reads a person’s brain waves and turns them into commands like “Walk forward,” “Turn,” “Step back,” or “Stop.”

From MIT Technology Review

In one study, alpha binaural beats, or ones with a pulsing beat similar to that of “alpha” brain waves that are associated with a calm and relaxed state, helped some subjects do better in a creative task.

From Popular-Science

Besides, it was hard to understand what the brain waves really meant in terms of what the neurons in the brain were doing.

From Nautilus

With a cap full of EEG electrodes over their heads, they would proceed to have their brain waves recorded.

From Nautilus

Casey Schwartz on the "alpha" brain wave wreaking havoc on your sleep.

From The Daily Beast

Which must have been entirely brain-wave or thought-reading, as Rosalind had said never a word of her anxiety, so far.

From Project Gutenberg

Finally as the result of a brain-wave he had requisitioned the local boy scouts.

From Project Gutenberg

He just loosed another dry Martini into the undergrowth, and before you could turn round it had flushed quite a brain-wave.

From Project Gutenberg

That vision had been a brain-wave between their two linked and sympathetic brains.

From Project Gutenberg

It smelled the outpouring of certain glands, tasted a deviant brain wave.

From Project Gutenberg

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