briny

¹ American  

[brahy-nee] / ˈbraɪ ni /

adjective

brinier, briniest

1. of or like brine; salty.

   a briny taste.

---

briny ² American  

[brahy-nee] / ˈbraɪ ni /

noun

1. ocean.

---

briny British  

/ ˈbraɪnɪ /

adjective

1. of or resembling brine; salty

---

noun

1. an informal name for the sea

Other Word Forms

• brininess noun

Etymology

Origin of briny¹

First recorded in 1600–10; brine + -y ¹

Origin of briny²

First recorded in 1825–35; brine + -y ²

Example Sentences

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

“It’s kind of inheriting that briny character, like a martini of the sea.”

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 19, 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

But time and briny air have taken their toll.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 26, 2025

I transfer to Kijkduin, a suburb on the sea, and as the train gets closer, the air becomes briny.

From "Girl in the Blue Coat" by Monica Hesse

Related Words

• saline