Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A person who is highly intelligent.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun slang, sometimes derogatory a very intelligent and usually studious, erudite person.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun someone who has exceptional intellectual ability and originality

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Probably from Brainiac, a highly intelligent villain in DC Comics, blend of brain and maniac.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Blend of brain and maniac coined in the Superman comic book. The term first appeared in Action Comics #438 in July, 1958.

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