brain death

noun

: final cessation of activity in the central nervous system especially as indicated by a flat electroencephalogram for a predetermined length of time

Examples of brain death in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

At the emergency room, doctors observed symptoms consistent with brain death and she was pronounced dead the next day. —Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 18 July 2025

Upon arrival at an emergency room, doctors noticed the child had symptoms of brain death. —Alexis Simmerman, Austin American Statesman, 16 July 2025

In these cases, maternal brain death cannot be confirmed until after delivery. —Lindsey Breitwieser, The Conversation, 1 July 2025

Technological advances in recent years have made it so that organ recovery can occur not only after brain death, but even circulatory death – what is known as a DCD donation. —Graham Womack, Sacramento Bee, 28 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1921, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for brain death

• beth
• breath
• heth
• lethe
• meth
• seth
• sheth
• sneath
• shibboleth

Kids Definition

brain death

noun

: the final stopping of activity in the central nervous system as indicated by an electroencephalogram showing no brain waves for a set length of time that is often used as a criterion for human death

brain-dead

ˈbrān-ˌded

adjective

Medical Definition

brain death

noun

: final cessation of activity in the central nervous system especially as indicated by a flat electroencephalogram for a predetermined length of time

brain-dead adjective

Legal Definition

brain death

noun

ˈbrān-ˌdeth

: the final stopping of activity in the central nervous system especially as indicated by a flat electroencephalogram for a usually statutorily predetermined period of time

brain-dead

ˈbrān-ˌded 

adjective