Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “byrnie” come from?

byrnie (English) comes from Middle English brinie, from Old Norse brynja, from Proto-Germanic brunjǭ — breastplate.

byrnie (English): A short chain mail shirt, covering from the upper...

Definitions

  1. A short chain mail shirt, covering from the upper...

Ancestry of “byrnie”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishbrinie—
2Old Norsebrynjacoat of mail
3Proto-Germanicbrunjǭbreastplate
Every word from Proto-Germanic brunjǭ →