noun
Uncommon
brig
brihg
Brig (noun) means a sailing ship with two masts, both square-rigged. Example: “The museum has a restored 19th-century brig moored in the harbour.”
noun
1
A sailing ship with two masts, both square-rigged.
"The museum has a restored 19th-century brig moored in the harbour."
2
A prison on board a naval ship, or informally, any military jail.
"The sailor was thrown in the brig for insubordination."
How to use brig
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA two-masted sailing ship, or slang for a military jail.
Common pairings
thrown in the brig
a two-masted brig
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Word forms
- Plural
- brigs
- Third person singular
- brigs
- Past tense
- brigged
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The museum has a restored 19th-century _____ moored in the harbour.
Etymology
A shortening of "brigantine", itself from Italian brigantino. The "jail" sense developed because old brigs were sometimes used to hold prisoners.
Rhymes for brig
See all rhymes for brig →Frequently asked questions
What does “brig” mean?
The word “brig” means a sailing ship with two masts, both square-rigged. In plain terms, a two-masted sailing ship, or slang for a military jail.
How do you pronounce “brig”?
“Brig” is pronounced brihg (/bɹɪɡ/ in IPA).
How do you use “brig” in a sentence?
Here is “brig” used in a sentence: “The museum has a restored 19th-century brig moored in the harbour.”
What part of speech is “brig”?
“Brig” is a noun.
Where does the word “brig” come from?
The word “brig” comes from Italian. A shortening of "brigantine", itself from Italian brigantino. The "jail" sense developed because old brigs were sometimes used to hold prisoners.
Is “brig” a common word?
“Brig” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “brig” have?
“Brig” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a sailing ship with two masts, both square-rigged.
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