byrnie

American  

[bur-nee] / ˈbɜr ni /

noun

Armor.

1. a coat of mail; hauberk.

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byrnie British  

/ ˈbɜːnɪ /

noun

1. an archaic word for coat of mail

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Etymology

Origin of byrnie

1325–75; Middle English byrny, Scottish variant of brynie, brinie < Old Norse brynja, cognate with Old English byrne coat of mail, Old High German brunnia

Example Sentences

Unferth stood beside him, his huge arms folded on his byrnie.

From "Grendel" by John Gardner

Odin rides first; with his golden helmet, resplendent byrnie, and his spear Gungner, he advances against the Fenris-wolf.

From The Younger Edda Also called Snorre's Edda, or The Prose Edda by Anderson, Rasmus Björn

Eric drew Whitefire and leaned on it, waiting for the word, and all the women held him to be wondrous fair as, clad in his byrnie and his golden helm, he leaned thus on Whitefire.

From Eric Brighteyes by Haggard, Henry Rider

Those among the audience who have been carefully reading the translation up to this point, here look up and closely watch Siegfried's proceedings, being evidently uncertain as to what "his byrnie" may be.

From Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 102, June 18, 1892 by Various

So they came to me and searched my pouch and thrust their grimy hands into the front of my byrnie, and there they found the king's letter, which they seized with a shout of delight.

From A Prince of Cornwall A Story of Glastonbury and the West in the Days of Ina of Wessex by Whistler, Charles W. (Charles Watts)