Etymology

Most likely from brand in the sense of fire brand (a term often used for the heated glowing end of forged tool); implying something that is newly forged (first citation 1570), or less likely from brand as in a branding iron. The first element of the variant , with the post nasal stop deletion common to English (cf. the common pronunciation of hunting as hunning [hə.nʌŋ]), is often back etymologized as being from bran as if from cases where new items were supposedly "packaged up with unwanted grain (bran) in the 18th Century to protect the object during transit" (source unknown). Both variants are well attested.

Adjective

1. utterly new, as new as possible

Alternative spellings

• brand-new
• bran new
• bran-new
• brent new
• brank new

Quotations

• 1570 New bodies, new minds ... and all thinges new, brande-newe - John Foxe (source OED)
• 1807 two pair of bran-new plumpers - Alexander Chalmers - The British Essayists