Standard Lemma guide

byrnie

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /ˈbɜːni/
  • US: /ˈbɝni/

1

noun

Meaning 1

A short chain mail shirt, covering from the upper arms to the upper thighs.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: historical

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

a long (usually sleeveless) tunic of chain mail formerly worn as defensive armor

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: hauberk

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: chain mail, ring mail, mail, chain armor, chain armour, ring armor, ring armour

History

Etymology

From Middle English brinie, burne (whence also, without metathesis, obsolete English brinie), from Old Norse brynja. Cognates include Old English byrne, Gothic 𐌱𐍂𐌿𐌽𐌾𐍉 (brunjō) (whence Old Church Slavonic брънѩ (brŭnję)), German Brünne, French broigne.

Across languages

Translations

6 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Czech: kroužková košile — short chain mail shirt
  • Czech: osníř — short chain mail shirt
  • Greek: ζάβα (záva) — short chain mail shirt
  • Latin: lorica hamata — short chain mail shirt
  • Old Norse: brynja — short chain mail shirt
  • Polish: krótka kolczuga — short chain mail shirt