I. noun
also bri·er ˈbrī(-ə)r
Etymology: Middle English brere, from Old English brēr
Date: 15th century
: a plant (as a rose, blackberry, or greenbrier) having a usually woody and thorny or prickly stem ; also : a mass or twig of these
• bri·ary ˈbrī(-ə)r-ē adjective
II. noun
Etymology: short for briar pipe, from briar wood of the European heath, from French bruyère heath, from Middle French bruiere, from Vulgar Latin * brucaria, from Late Latin brucus heather, of Celtic origin; akin to Old Irish froech heather; akin to Greek ereikē heather
Date: 1882
: a tobacco pipe made from the root or stem of a European heath ( Erica arborea )