# Why "brand" new?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-brand-new/584859>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 9, 2011, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-brand-new/584859 "2011-06-09T15:40:30Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\
**Post date:** [June 9, 2011, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-brand-new/584859/1 "2011-06-09T15:40:30Z")

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As I was watching the Price is Right this morning, I realized that I really didn’t know what “brand new” means. I mean, I know it’s used to say basically “totally, completely new,” but I had no idea what the dictionary definition was.

So I looked up “brand” online:

> [@](#):
>
> –noun  
> 1.  
> kind, grade, or make, as indicated by a stamp, trademark, or the like: the best brand of coffee.  
> 2.  
> a mark made by burning or otherwise, to indicate kind, grade, make, ownership, etc.  
> 3.  
> a mark formerly put upon criminals with a hot iron.  
> EXPAND  
> –verb (used with object)  
> 9.  
> to label or mark with or as if with a brand.  
> 10.  
> to mark with disgrace or infamy; stigmatize.  
> 11.  
> to impress indelibly: The plane crash was branded on her mind.

None of those seem to describe “new.” So what’s the deal?

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**Author:** ![conway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ec9cab/32.png) [@conway](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/conway)\
**Post date:** [June 9, 2011, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-brand-new/584859/2 "2011-06-09T15:51:38Z")

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[Cecil’s answer](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/489/whats-the-origin-of-brand-new)

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**Author:** ![MikeF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MikeF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeF)\
**Post date:** [June 9, 2011, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-brand-new/584859/3 "2011-06-09T17:57:32Z")

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And why (and what) would it be spanking?

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**Author:** ![Moonlitherial](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@Moonlitherial](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonlitherial)\
**Post date:** [June 9, 2011, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-brand-new/584859/4 "2011-06-09T18:16:06Z")

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> [@MikeF](#):
>
> And why (and what) would it be spanking?

Same link!