briar

Meaning

1. Any of many plants with thorny stems growing in dense clusters, such as many in the Rosa, Rubus, and Smilax genera
2. (figuratively) Anything sharp or unpleasant to the feelings.

Synonyms

brier

eglantine

greenbrier

tree heath

horse-brier

horse brier

sweetbrier

catbrier

Smilax rotundifolia

bullbrier

sweetbriar

bramble

thorn

briar pipe

Erica arborea

Rosa eglanteria

hawthorn

white heather

briarwood

brier-wood

dog-rose

wild rose

heather

brierwood

heath

Translations

βάτος

bruyère

ρείκι

églantier

vepres

είδος πρίνου

είδος βάτου

Baumheide

ronce

αγκάθι

bruyère arborescente

erica arborea

scopa

🧹

radica

Dornstrauch

Pronounced as (IPA)

/bɹaɪə/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: brere

Inherited from Old English: brēr

Cognate with Icelandic: brörr

In summary

From Middle English brere, from Old English brēr [Old Mercian], brǣr (“briar, bramble”); further origin unknown, perhaps related to Old French bruiere (“heather”) (French bruyère). Compare Old Norse brǫrr (“briar”), whence Icelandic brörr.