bran-new
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
Quite new. Properly Brent, BRAND or Fire new, i.e., fresh from the anvil, or fresh with the manufacturer’s brand upon it.
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Where it’s used:
Origin
British & Irish English
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “bran-new” mean?
Quite new. Properly Brent, BRAND or Fire new, i.e., fresh from the anvil, or fresh with the manufacturer’s brand upon it.
Is “bran-new” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.