adjective · rare

briny

briny · brinier · briniest

Of, relating to, resembling, or containing brine, such as seawater or tearsOf, relating to, resembling, or containing brine (“water saturated or strongly impregnated with salt”), such as seawater or tears; salty.

/ˈbɹaɪni/

Meaning

3 senses

Of, relating to, resembling, or containing brine (“water saturated or strongly impregnated with salt”), such as seawater or tears; salty.
on the briny deep
slightly salty (especially from containing a mixture of seawater and fresh water)
(figuratively)Of a person: difficult to get along with or to like; acerbic, prickly, unlikable.
(archaic, obsolete)Especially of the sea: phosphorescent, shining.

Origin

Origin uncertain, possibly from Middle English brine (“act of burning; fire”, noun), fro

Origin uncertain, possibly from Middle English brine (“act of burning; fire”, noun), from Old English bryne (“act of burning; fire, flame; heat”), from Proto-Germanic *bruniz (“act of burning; fire”), from *brinnaną (“to be on fire, burn”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰrewh₁- (“to boil; to brew”).

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