NYT Dictionary

BRAN

/ˈbɹæn/
NounVerbBRANGrade 5

Accepted in official NYT Spelling Bee puzzle years: 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026

Meaning

The broken coat of the seed of wheat, rye, or other cereal grain, separated from the flour or meal by sifting or bolting; the coarse, chaffy part of ground grain.

Etymology

Origin: Middle English

From Middle English bran, branne, bren, from Old French bren, bran (“bran, filth”), from Gaulish brennos (“rotten”), from Proto-Celtic *bragnos (“rotten, foul”) (compare Welsh braen (“stench”), Irish bréan (“rancid”), Walloon brin (“excrement”)), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰreHg- (compare Latin fragrāre (“to smell strongly”), Dutch brak (“hound”)).

Synonyms & Antonyms

Synonyms

barkbarleyattrituscapsulecasechaffchopcorncornhuskcrumb

NYT Puzzle Appearances

Accepted in 9 recorded puzzles:

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