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