brainiac

American

[brey-nee-ak] / ˈbreɪ niˌæk /

noun

a highly intelligent person.

brainiac British

/ ˈbreɪnɪˌæk /

noun

informal a highly intelligent person

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of brainiac

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

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Robert Patrick and Katharine McPhee star in CBS’ ‘Scorpion,’ which is based on the life of brainiac consultant Walter O’Brien.

From Los Angeles Times • May 25, 2023

Now settled in the fictitious Port Oswego, Ore., the congenial brainiac has become popular among students and teachers alike.

From New York Times • Jan. 11, 2022

"Big Bang Theory" real-life brainiac Mayim Bialik was excellent.

From Salon • Aug. 6, 2021

Saying the NFL is America’s most popular sport isn’t exactly brainiac territory.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 23, 2021

That was the big gossip that went around: the jock and the brainiac.

From "Wonder" by R. J. Palacio

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023