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byrnie

American  
[bur-nee] / ˈbɜr ni /

noun

Armor.
  1. a coat of mail; hauberk.


byrnie British  
/ ˈbɜːnɪ /

noun

  1. an archaic word for coat of mail

"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

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

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

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

From "Grendel" by John Gardner

I did so, and in that lay a most beautiful byrnie and helm, if anything better than those we had been choosing from.

From A Sea Queen's Sailing by Charles W. (Charles Watts) Whistler

Eric might not bear this sight, for his heart beat within him as though it would burst the byrnie over it.

From Eric Brighteyes by Henry Rider Haggard

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 Rasmus Björn Anderson

These were the helmet Hildegolt; the byrnie Finnsleif, which no steel could scathe; and the gold ring called Sviagris, which had 216 belonged to Adils’ forefathers.

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

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