brooch

[brohch, brooch]

See more synonyms for brooch on Thesaurus.com

noun

a clasp or ornament having a pin at the back for passing through the clothing and a catch for securing the point of the pin.

Also broach.

Origin of brooch

1175–1225; Middle English broche broach, differentiated in spelling since circa 1600

Related formsun·brooch, verb (used with object)

Can be confusedbroach brooch

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for brooch

jewelry, clip, cluster, breastpin

Examples from the Web for brooch

Contemporary Examples of brooch

Kate wore a gold shamrock Cartier brooch pinned to her chest.
More Kids Planned Kate? No, One is Enough, At The Moment...
Tom Sykes
March 17, 2014
As a royal heirloom, the brooch is technically owned by the Queen, and was returned to the monarch after Diana's death.
Camilla Wears Diana's Brooch
Tom Sykes
March 14, 2012
Walters ended the interview by commenting on Albright's brooch.
Highlights of the Women in the World Summit
The Daily Beast
March 12, 2010

Historical Examples of brooch

Mary opened her hand, and displayed the brooch she had found.
The Green Satin Gown
Laura E. Richards
It is your brooch that you requested me to get from the jeweler.
Victor's Triumph
Mrs. E. D. E. N. Southworth
And the king gave him a brooch lovelier than any on the palace walls.
Irish Fairy Tales
Edmond Leamy
She chose a bright red one for a brooch, and bought it for a penny.
Anecdotes & Incidents of the Deaf and Dumb
W. R. Roe
With curiosity all alive, Lucille took the brooch and looked at it.
The International Magazine, Volume 2, No. 2, January, 1851
Various

British Dictionary definitions for brooch

brooch

noun

an ornament with a hinged pin and catch, worn fastened to clothing

Word Origin for brooch

C13: from Old French broche; see broach 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

Word Origin and History for brooch

early 13c., from Old French broche "long needle" (see broach (n.)). Specialized meaning led 14c. to distinct spelling.