brain death

noun

: final cessation of activity in the central nervous system especially as indicated by a flat electroencephalogram for a predetermined length of time

Examples of brain death in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Technological advances in recent years have made it so that organ recovery can occur not only after brain death, but even circulatory death – what is known as a DCD donation. —Graham Womack, Sacramento Bee, 28 Jan. 2025

At the emergency room, doctors observed symptoms consistent with brain death. —Brandi D. Addison, Austin American-Statesman, 21 Oct. 2024

At the emergency room, doctors observed symptoms consistent with brain death and she was pronounced dead the next day. —Amanda Lee Myers, USA TODAY, 17 Oct. 2024

Use can lead to severe headaches, a rise in body temperature, difficulty breathing, extreme drops in blood pressure and even brain death, according to the FDA. —David Oliver, USA TODAY, 13 June 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1921, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for brain death

• beth
• breath
• heth
• lethe
• meth
• seth
• sheth
• sneath
• shibboleth

Kids Definition

brain death

noun

: the final stopping of activity in the central nervous system as indicated by an electroencephalogram showing no brain waves for a set length of time that is often used as a criterion for human death

brain-dead

ˈbrān-ˌded

adjective

Medical Definition

brain death

noun

: final cessation of activity in the central nervous system especially as indicated by a flat electroencephalogram for a predetermined length of time

brain-dead adjective

Legal Definition

brain death

noun

ˈbrān-ˌdeth

: the final stopping of activity in the central nervous system especially as indicated by a flat electroencephalogram for a usually statutorily predetermined period of time

brain-dead

ˈbrān-ˌded 

adjective