brainy

Everyday

1. (informal) Very clever and good at thinking and learning. tree →
2. (informal) Smart in a bookish way. tree →

In the lessons

In everyday talk «brainy» is a friendly or teasing way to say clever; a «brainbox» (UK) or «brainiac» (US) is a very brainy person. In stories the brainy friend often solves the puzzle. Some children feel teased when called brainy, so use it kindly.

Examples

• My sister is really brainy at maths. tree →
• The brainy kid in the film builds a robot. tree →
• You don't have to be brainy to be kind. tree →
• She's the brainiest girl in our class. tree →
• Owls are thought of as brainy birds in stories. tree →
• Ask Tom, he's brainy about dinosaurs. tree →

Note

Informal. Comparisons: brainier, brainiest (y changes to i). Myth: owls are not actually cleverer than other birds. Synonyms: clever, smart, bright.