briny
1 Americanadjective
noun
adjective
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of briny1
First recorded in 1600–10; brine + -y 1
Origin of briny2
Explanation
If something is briny, it's wet and salty, like seawater. You should probably rinse out your briny swimsuit and hang it to dry in the sun. Salty ocean water is briny, and seafood often tastes a bit briny as well: "I love these briny oysters, but my brother can't stand them." Your brother may also like to keep his feet on the beach while you dive into the briny water. In the 17th century, briny was originally used to describe tears. The Old English root is bryne, "water saturated with salt."
Vocabulary lists containing briny
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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.
"It's just crunchy and light and salty and briny," says Standridge.
From BBC • Apr. 29, 2026
In Thessaly, where around 45 percent of the briny white cheese is made from sheep and goat's milk, the impact of the disease is already significant.
From Barron's • Mar. 30, 2026
Oil-and-gas fields in South Texas, North Dakota and Appalachia also produce briny water but in much smaller volumes than in the Permian.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 26, 2025
For savory oats, the sky is wide open: briny feta, sharp white cheddar, a dusting of Parm for a cacio e pepe riff—each adds its own note.
From Salon • Nov. 13, 2025
South of the bridge the river opened up to embrace the briny sea.
From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin
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.
