brig (n.)

"two-masted square-rigged vessel," 1720, colloquial shortening of brigantine (q.v.). Meaning "a ship's jail" is by 1841, American English, perhaps from the use of such vessels as prison ships upon retirement from active duty.

Entries linking to brig

brigantine (n.)

"small two-masted ship," 1520s, from French brigandin (15c.), from Italian brigantino, perhaps "skirmishing vessel, pirate ship," from brigante "skirmisher, pirate, brigand" from brigare "to fight" (see brigade and compare brigand).

*gwere- (1)

gwerə-, Proto-Indo-European root meaning "heavy."

It forms all or part of: aggravate; aggravation; aggrieve; bar (n.4) "unit of pressure;" bariatric; baritone; barium; barometer; blitzkrieg; brig; brigade; brigand; brigantine; brio; brut; brute; charivari; gravamen; grave (adj.); gravid; gravimeter; gravitate; gravity; grief; grieve; kriegspiel; guru; hyperbaric; isobar; quern; sitzkrieg.

It is the hypothetical source of/evidence for its existence is provided by: Sanskrit guruh "heavy, weighty, venerable;" Greek baros "weight," barys "heavy in weight," often with the notion of "strength, force;" Latin gravis, "heavy, ponderous, burdensome, loaded; pregnant;" Old English cweorn "quern;" Gothic kaurus "heavy;" Lettish gruts "heavy."

Others are reading

Share brig

‘cite’

Page URL:

https://www.etymonline.com/word/brig

HTML Link:

<a href="https://www.etymonline.com/word/brig">Etymology of brig by etymonline</a>

APA style:

Harper, D. (n.d.). Etymology of brig. Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved $(datetime), from https://www.etymonline.com/word/brig

Chicago style:

Harper Douglas, “Etymology of brig,” Online Etymology Dictionary, accessed $(datetime), https://www.etymonline.com/word/brig.

MLA style:

Harper, Douglas. “Etymology of brig.” Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com/word/brig. Accessed $(datetimeMla).

IEEE style:

D. Harper. “Etymology of brig.” Online Etymology Dictionary. https://www.etymonline.com/word/brig (accessed $(datetime)).

Definitions of brig

brig (n.)

two-masted sailing vessel square-rigged on both masts;

brig (n.)

a penal institution (especially on board a ship);

From wordnet.princeton.edu

Dictionary entries near brig

briefcase

briefing

briefly

briefs

brier

brig

brigade

brigadier

brigand

brigandage

brigantine