brain wave

noun

|Updated on: 14 Jun 2018

Definition of brain wave

1 : brainstorm 2a

2 a : rhythmic fluctuations of voltage between parts of the brain resulting in the flow of an electric current

b : a current produced by brain waves

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Recent Examples of brain wave from the Web

Bartschi’s music delightfully hints at a bygone era and is full of motion, like the whirring of focused brain waves.

— matthew j. palm, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Entertaining Sherlock Holmes musical doesn't always hit the right emotional notes," 9 June 2018
Sleep tests performed in a lab use advanced electrodes and sensors to measure more than a dozen different metrics in addition to breathing, such as brain waves, leg and eye movement, and oxygen levels.

— sarah gantz, Philly.com, "The high cost of getting a good night's sleep," 6 June 2018
In a similar vein, Dreem, a $500 ergonomic headband, works with electroencephalography sensors to monitor brain waves, heart rate, and breathing during sleep.

— lindsey tramuta, Fortune, "How Sleep Became The Ultimate Luxury," 31 May 2018
From no brain waves to now walking and talking and reading, doing math.

— caitlin o'kane, CBS News, "Boy regains consciousness after parents sign papers to donate his organs," 6 May 2018
This also serves to keep the person’s head fairly still so that the system can more easily read brain waves.

— larry greenemeier, Scientific American, "Marvel Comics Gets Inside the Heads of the Avengers," 21 Aug. 2014
Of particular note: The deep, almost ethereal bass tones meant to promote slow-wave sleep, a phase that’s responsible for consolidating memory and learning as brain waves oscillate at the supremely mellow frequency of 10Hz.

— corey seymour, Vogue, "Max Richter’s Eight-Hour Ambient Piece Will Put You To Sleep—Actually, That’s The Whole Point," 30 Mar. 2018
But these issues won’t be relevant until interfaces for decoding brain waves are much more advanced.

— emily matchar, Smithsonian, "A New Study Brings Scientists One Step Closer To Mind Reading," 6 Mar. 2018
The synchronous brain waves are then an expression of the empathy.

— diana gitig, Ars Technica, "He’s not just saying he feels her pain—he really is," 4 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'brain wave.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of brain wave

1890

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

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BRAIN WAVE Defined for English Language Learners

brain wave

noun

Definition of brain wave for English Language Learners

: a pattern or cycle of electrical activity in the brain

Medical Dictionary

brain wave

noun

medical Definition of brain wave

1 : rhythmic fluctuations of voltage between parts of the brain resulting in the flow of an electric current

2 : a current produced by brain waves — compare alpha wave, beta wave

Learn More about brain wave

See words that rhyme with brain wave Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about brain wave

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brain wave

Definition of brain wave

Recent Examples of brain wave from the Web

First Known Use of brain wave

BRAIN WAVE Defined for English Language Learners

brain wave

Definition of brain wave for English Language Learners

Medical Dictionary

brain wave

medical Definition of brain wave

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Definition of brain wave

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BRAIN WAVE Defined for English Language Learners

brain wave

Definition of brain wave for English Language Learners

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brain wave

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