BRIER


Meaning of BRIER in English

I. noun

or bri·ar ˈbrīə(r)

( -s )

Etymology: Middle English brere, from Old English brær, brēr

1.

a. : a plant (as members of the genera Rosa, Rubus, and Smilax ) with a woody stem bearing thorns or prickles

b. Britain : wild rose

2. : a group or mass of brier bushes

3. : a thorn or twig of a brier : a branch of brier

II. noun

or briar “

( -s )

Etymology: French bruyère heath, heather, from Middle French bruiere, from (assumed) Vulgar Latin brucaria heath, from Late Latin brucus heather, of Celtic origin; akin to Old Irish froech heather, Welsh grug; akin to Greek ereikē heather, Lithuanian viržis

: a heath ( Erica arborea ) of southern Europe the root of which is used for making pipes — see briar , french brier

Webster's New International English Dictionary.      Новый международный словарь английского языка Webster.