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briar

1 American  
[brahy-er] / ˈbraɪ ər /

noun

  1. brier.

briar 2 American  
[brahy-er] / ˈbraɪ ər /

noun

  1. brier.

briar 1 British  
/ ˈbraɪə /

noun

  1. Also called: tree heath.  an ericaceous shrub, Erica arborea , of S Europe, having a hard woody root (briarroot)

  2. a tobacco pipe made from the root of this plant

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
briar 2 British  
/ ˈbraɪə /

noun

  1. a variant spelling of brier 1

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of briar

C19: from French bruyère heath, from Late Latin brūcus , of Gaulish origin

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Norfolk Wildlife Trust put in a formal objection, claiming pellets from the pitch could spread into the surrounding area, which is close to Sweet Briar Marshes and the River Wensum.

From BBC • Mar. 6, 2026

First up at 13:35 is Switzerland's husband-and-wife duo of Yannick Schwaller and Briar Schwaller-Hürlimann.

From BBC • Feb. 2, 2026

The college’s president, Meredith Jung-En Woo, says Sweet Briar welcomes trans students if they meet the admissions policy.

From New York Times • Mar. 14, 2023

Maile Murphy was there with her 1½-year-old son, Briar.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 22, 2023

Briar Hollow Lane is a little gravel road just before the bridge that marks the town limits.

From "How to Disappear Completely" by Ali Standish

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.