brandish

Name: brandish, English Word Data
Creator: Wiktionary
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

/ˈbɹændɪʃ/

//ˈbɹændɪʃ// verb

By PlainSpell Editorial Team · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) · analyzed May 6, 2026

The verdict

“brandish” is an uncommon English word, ranked #74,783 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#74,783
frequency rank, English: 8
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To move or swing a weapon back and forth, particularly if demonstrating anger, threat or skill.

Key facts for brandish
Property	Value
Headword	brandish
Language	English
Part of speech	Verb
IPA	/ˈbɹændɪʃ/
Letters	8
Frequency rank	#74,783
Misspellings tracked	0
Confusable pairs	0
Source	Wiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “brandish” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). brandish lands here:

#74,783

#1#100#1K#10K#100K

← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for brandish is 8 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈbɹændɪʃ/. Corpus data places it at rank #74,783 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Zero misspellings are on record for brandish in our index, a straightforward case of a spelling with little room for common typos. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English braundischen, from Old French brandiss-, stem of brandir (“to flourish a sword”), from Frankish *brandijan, from Frankish *brand (“firebrand; sword”), from Proto-Germanic *brandaz (“fire; flame; sword”), whence Old English brand (“firebr… The correct English form is brandish, spelled B-R-A-N-D-I-S-H.

Definition

1
To move or swing a weapon back and forth, particularly if demonstrating anger, threat or skill.
2
To bear something with ostentatious show.

Etymology

From Middle English braundischen, from Old French brandiss-, stem of brandir (“to flourish a sword”), from Frankish *brandijan, from Frankish *brand (“firebrand; sword”), from Proto-Germanic *brandaz (“fire; flame; sword”), whence Old English brand (“firebrand; torch”); equivalent to brand + -ish. More at brand.

Synonyms

flourish wave

This word in other languages

esgrimir(Español)brandir(Français)schwingen(Deutsch)brandir(Português)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "brandish"?

"brandish" is spelled B-R-A-N-D-I-S-H. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈbɹændɪʃ/.

What does "brandish" mean?

As a verb, "brandish" means: To move or swing a weapon back and forth, particularly if demonstrating anger, threat or skill.

How do you pronounce "brandish"?

The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "brandish" is /ˈbɹændɪʃ/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.

What is the origin of the word "brandish"?

From Middle English braundischen, from Old French brandiss-, stem of brandir (“to flourish a sword”), from Frankish *brandijan, from Frankish *brand (“firebrand; sword”), from Proto-Germanic *brandaz (“fire; flame; sword”), whence Old English bran... See the full etymology section above for more details.

Is PlainSpell free to use?

Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “brandish”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

The one correct English spelling is B-R-A-N-D-I-S-H - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
Say it as /ˈbɹændɪʃ/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.