brainwashing
UK[ˈbreɪnwɒʃɪŋ]US[ˈbreɪnwɑːʃɪŋ]
n
The process of forcing someone to accept certain ideas or beliefs by using extreme mental pressure, often over a long period.
n
The systematic and often forcible elimination from a person's mind of established ideas, especially political ones, so that another set of ideas can take their place.
Morpheme Breakdown
brain
wash
ing
brain
mind
wash
cleanse
ing
action/process
Etymology
The term "brainwashing" is a modern English compound, first appearing in the mid-20th century. It is a calque, or loan translation, of the Chinese term xǐ nǎo (洗脑), which literally means "wash brain." The concept was popularized in English during the Korean War to describe the intensive psychological techniques reportedly used by captors to forcibly alter prisoners' beliefs. The logic of the word is vividly metaphorical: "brain" represents the seat of thought and identity, while "washing" implies a forceful, purgative cleansing of existing ideas to make the mind receptive to new, imposed doctrines. This blend of a concrete anatomical term with a domestic cleansing verb creates a powerful and unsettling image for a process of ideological coercion.
Analysis
Structure: brain (mind) + wash (cleanse) + ing (action/process)
- brain: From Old English brægen (the organ inside the head, the mind). In this compound, it signifies the mind or mental faculties.
- wash: From Old English wæscan (to cleanse with water). In this compound, it metaphorically means to cleanse or purge.
- ing: A suffix from Old English -ung, -ing, forming nouns denoting an action or its result.
Examples
The film is a critique of the brainwashing techniques used by the totalitarian regime.
Survivors of the cult described years of psychological manipulation and brainwashing.
Some argue that relentless advertising is a form of commercial brainwashing.