brainchild

From brain +‎ child.

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈbɹeɪn.tʃaɪld/

• Audio (US)

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brainchild (plural brainchildren)

1. A creation, original idea, or innovation, usually used to indicate the originators

   The entire project was the brainchild of a small group of visionaries.

   • 1877 July 3, Thomas J. Mumford, “letter to Mrs. W.”, in Life and Letters of Thomas J. Mumford, published 1879:

     I am glad you find so many lovers of your brainchildren in the West.

   • 1946, Mezz Mezzrow, Bernard Wolfe, Really the Blues, New York: Random House, page 54:

     Inspiration's old lady gave birth to a new brainchild one afternoon at a Rhythm Kings rehearsal, when I took a few choruses on Jack Pettis' C-melody sax while he was out humoring his bladder.

   • 2005, Tony Judt, “The Politics of Stability”, in Postwar: A history of Europe since 1945, London: Vintage Books, published 2010, →ISBN:

     But even though the Pleven Plan was the brainchild of a French prime minister, public debate had revealed the extent of French reluctance to countenance German rearmament under any conditions.

   • 2014, Richard W. Hartel, AnnaKate Hartel, Candy Bites: The Science of Sweets, Springer, →ISBN, page 183:

     The Everlasting Gobstopper, a jawbreaker that changes colors and flavors, was the brainchild of Roald Dahl in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory in 1964.

   • 2022 October 19, “Network News: Two new Walsall-Wolverhampton stations planned to open in 2024”, in RAIL, number 968, page 14:

     Their joint cost is £54 million, and the scheme is the brainchild of the West Midlands Combined Authority.

brainchild (third-person singular simple present brainchilds, present participle brainchilding, simple past and past participle brainchilded)

1. (transitive, rare) To think up; to come up with.
   • 2015, Mary Lindemann, The Merchant Republics:

     John Law brainchilded the establishment of a national bank to expedite and secure the creation of credit.