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noun Uncommon

bran

BRAN

Bran (noun) means the tough outer layer of a cereal grain (wheat, rye, oats, etc.), sifted out from the flour and often eaten separately for its fibre. Example: “She sprinkled bran over her cereal every morning for extra fibre.”

noun
1
The tough outer layer of a cereal grain (wheat, rye, oats, etc.), sifted out from the flour and often eaten separately for its fibre.
"She sprinkled bran over her cereal every morning for extra fibre."
"The mill separates the bran from the white flour during processing."

How to use bran

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishThe coarse, fibrous husk left over when grain is milled into flour.

Common pairings
wheat bran oat bran bran flakes high in bran

Word forms

branned past tense, brans plural, brans plural, Brans plural, brans singular

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Test yourself on “bran” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage

Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

She sprinkled _____ over her cereal every morning for extra fibre.

Etymology

From Old French bran, ultimately from a Gaulish word for "rotten" — an odd origin for something now marketed as a health food.

Origin: Old French

Rhymes for bran

See all rhymes for bran →

Frequently asked questions

What does “bran” mean?

The word “bran” means the tough outer layer of a cereal grain (wheat, rye, oats, etc.), sifted out from the flour and often eaten separately for its fibre. In plain terms, the coarse, fibrous husk left over when grain is milled into flour.

How do you pronounce “bran”?

“Bran” is pronounced BRAN (/ˈbɹæn/ in IPA).

How do you use “bran” in a sentence?

Here is “bran” used in a sentence: “She sprinkled bran over her cereal every morning for extra fibre.”

What part of speech is “bran”?

“Bran” is a noun.

Where does the word “bran” come from?

The word “bran” comes from Old French. From Old French bran, ultimately from a Gaulish word for "rotten" — an odd origin for something now marketed as a health food.

Is “bran” a common word?

“Bran” is an uncommon word in modern English.

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