Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 18, 2024 is: brainiac • \BRAY-nee-ak\ • noun A brainiac is a very intelligent person. // Her ability to solve almost any puzzle within minutes secured her place as the brainiac of the family. See the entry > Examples: "In this modern, adult-oriented take on the classic 'Scooby-Doo' franchise, the series follows the origin story of Velma Dinkley (Kaling), the brainiac of the Mystery Inc. gang. After a corpse is found in her high school, Velma teams up with Daphne (Constance Wu), Shaggy (Sam Richardson) and Fred (Glenn Howerton) to solve the murder." — Michaela Zee, Variety, 21 Dec. 2022 Did you know? As Superman fans know, Brainiac was the superintelligent villain in the Action Comics series and its spin-offs. His name is a portmanteau of brain and maniac. You don't need x-ray vision to see the connection here—etymologists think Superman's brainy adversary is the likely inspiration for the common noun brainiac. The term was not coined right away though. The comic-book series was launched in 1938 and the character Brainiac debuted in 1958, but current evidence doesn't show general use of brainiac to refer to a superintelligent person until the 1970s.
Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 18, 2024 is: brainiac \BRAY-nee-ak\ noun A brainiac is a very intelligent person. // Her ability to solve almost any puzzle within minutes secured her place as the brainiac of the family. [See the entry >](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brainiac) Examples: "In this modern, adult-oriented take on the classic 'Scooby-Doo' franchise, the series follows the origin story of Velma Dinkley (Kaling), the brainiac of the Mystery Inc. gang. After a corpse is found in her high school, Velma teams up with Daphne (Constance Wu), Shaggy (Sam Richardson) and Fred (Glenn Howerton) to solve the murder." — Michaela Zee, Variety, 21 Dec. 2022 Did you know? As [Superman](https://www.britannica.com/topic/Superman-fictional-character) fans know, Brainiac was the superintelligent villain in the [Action Comics](https://www.britannica.com/topic/Action-Comics) series and its spin-offs. His name is a portmanteau of [brain](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brain) and [maniac](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/maniac). You don't need x-ray vision to see the connection here—etymologists think Superman's brainy adversary is the likely inspiration for the common noun brainiac. The term was not coined right away though. The comic-book series was launched in 1938 and the character Brainiac debuted in 1958, but current evidence doesn't show general use of brainiac to refer to a superintelligent person until the 1970s.