brig
noun
brig
1 American
[brig]
/ brɪg /
noun
-
Nautical.
-
a two-masted vessel square-rigged on both masts.
-
(formerly, in the U.S. Navy) an armed brig-rigged or brigantine-rigged vessel.
-
the compartment of a ship where prisoners are confined.
-
-
a place of confinement or detention, especially in the U.S. Navy or Marines; guardhouse.
Brig.
2
American
abbreviation
-
brigade.
-
brigadier.
brig
1
British
/ brɪɡ /
noun
-
nautical a two-masted square-rigger
-
a prison, esp in a navy ship
Brig.
2
British
abbreviation
brig
3
British
/ brɪɡ /
noun
Etymology
Origin of brig
First recorded in 1705–15; short for brigantine
Explanation
A brig is a prison, especially a naval or military prison. This meaning comes from the fact that two-masted warships known as brigs were historically used as floating prisons. The word brig is a shortened form of brigantine, "a small, two-masted ship" with large, square sails. These speedy sailing vessels were extremely common until the late 1800s, when steam ships became widely available. These days, most people in the U.S. think of a brig as a military prison, and if a Navy or Coast Guard sailor breaks the law, they'll be "thrown in the brig."
Vocabulary lists containing brig
Society and Solitude
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Blood on the River
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Ms. Bixby's Last Day
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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.
Police spokesperson Brig Athlenda Mathe told the BBC: "This is a very sensitive matter that cannot be discussed at this stage."
From BBC • Feb. 17, 2026
The federal train operator CFF also said on its website that train traffic "is interrupted between Goppenstein and Brig" because of an avalanche.
From Barron's • Feb. 16, 2026
The regional commuter train was on its way from Spiez to Brig when it derailed.
From BBC • Feb. 16, 2026
Marshall relied heavily on the chief of his Strategy and Policy Group, Brig.
From Slate • Feb. 9, 2026
On the 14th the fleet arrived from Jamaica under the command of Commodore Baynton, consisting of the Cumberland, 74, Bellerophon, 74, Ganges, 74, Vanguard, 74, Goliah, 74, Thesis, 74, Elephant, 74 and the Pelican, Brig.
From History of Halifax City by Akins, Thomas B.
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.
