One of the noun senses of brood that is often encountered today is "the children of a family" (as in "they showed up at the picnic with their whole brood"). This may seem as though it is unrelated to the most commonly used verb sense, which is "to think anxiously or gloomily about; ponder," but the two words come from the same source, the Old English brōd. The noun form of brood came first, and the verb, when it appeared in our language, was used to refer to the action of chickens sitting on their eggs. Eventually the verb began to be used in a figurative manner, and took on the "worriedly pondering" sense it has today.
Noun a hen and her brood of chicks Mrs. Smith took her brood to church every Sunday. Verb He brooded over his mistake. After the argument, she sat in her bedroom, brooding.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The novel opens with Cyril taking his brood out for ice cream to awkwardly introduce them to each other. Meena Venkataramanan, Washington Post, 8 Sep. 2022 And the second the father and his brood turn away, the actor, after a hasty goodbye, literally runs away. Lauren Larson, Men's Health, 7 Sep. 2022 One of the worst parts of being a plant owner: remembering to keep your brood watered. Corinne Sullivan, Good Housekeeping, 7 Sep. 2022 There are Dwarves, too – King Durin III and his brood – who live in prosperity in the city of Moria before an unfortunate encounter with a Balrog destroys it. Scottie Andrew, CNN, 2 Sep. 2022 The pop icon welcomed her first child, Lourdes, in 1996 and grew her brood with the additions of Rocco, David, Mercy and twins Stella and Estere. Emy Lacroix, Peoplemag, 1 Sep. 2022 Christina Stead gives an unflinching portrait of her own childhood, dominated by improvidence, quarrels and violence—and a crazed, buccaneering idealist of a father who both adores and exploits his ever-increasing brood of children. Marina Warner, WSJ, 19 Aug. 2022 The desire to exemplify Black excellence can leave parents pushing to pursue every opportunity, for themselves and their brood. Audrey Williams, Essence, 4 Aug. 2022 Should the sperm-toting female die before her brood is laid, the male’s efforts will all be for naught. Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 20 July 2022
Adjective
Their home became a way station for traveling students, poets and artists, as well as for Mr. Barker’s already sizable brood, many of them grown with families of their own.New York Times, 19 May 2022 The Yankees’ ace didn’t brood that whole time, but didn’t forget about the Red Sox chasing him in the third inning of the American League Wild Card. Kristie Ackert, Hartford Courant, 7 Apr. 2022 Biologists this week assigned the famed gray wolf OR-7 and his brood official pack status, the Associated Press reports. The Editors, Outside Online, 9 Jan. 2015 The most limiting factor for these stockings is acquiring brood stock. Matt Wyatt, San Antonio Express-News, 29 Apr. 2021 The department’s goal within the next few years is to create an army of brood fish from ShareLunker offspring.Dallas News, 10 Apr. 2021 Justin Hughes, upland gamebird habitat specialist for Montana Fish Wildlife & Parks in Region 7, said turkeys enjoyed good nesting and brood conditions across the region during 2020. Brian Lovett, Outdoor Life, 8 Jan. 2021 Though still being tabulated, this summer’s study suggests brood survival was favorable, at least in the northeast, Roy said.Star Tribune, 17 Sep. 2020
Verb
Methodical Innovators do not brood, develop a victim mentality, or keep asking why. Sri Manchala, Forbes, 26 Aug. 2022 Squids don't usually brood their eggs and generally die soon after laying them, Chau Tu reported for Science Friday in 2016. Elizabeth Gamillo, Smithsonian Magazine, 11 July 2022 The penguins went so far as to attempt to brood a rock before a zookeeper gave them a real egg to care for, which soon hatched Tango. Jessica Winter, The New Yorker, 11 July 2022 The male seahorses ‘get pregnant’ and brood the babies in their pouch. Cecilia Rodriguez, Forbes, 29 Aug. 2021 Keaton’s Wayne, who manages to brood with a sense of humor, communicates with every love language in this film.BostonGlobe.com, 4 Feb. 2021 The passengers on the Diamond Princess were mostly asleep, and Arma, not long awake himself, brooded over the possibilities. Lauren Smiley, Wired, 30 Apr. 2020 There is fighting, there are hijinks, there are lots of tall, brooding Central Asians—but beyond Sukhov, there is far too little character development. Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 8 Apr. 2020 Almost all presidents brood in private about the insults aimed at them. Edwin L. Battistella, Time, 1 Apr. 2020 See More
Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English, from Old English brōd; akin to Middle High German bruot brood and perhaps to Old English beorma yeast — more at barm
Adjective
Middle English brod- (in compounds), attributive use of brod, broodbrood entry 1
Verb
Middle English broden, verbal derivative of brod, broodbrood entry 1
First Known Use
Noun
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1