# briar

/ˈbɹaɪɝ/ (US) · /bɹˈaɪə/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/briar
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. thorny plant

noun · CEFR C1 · Literary

a wild bush with sharp thorns, like a wild rose or blackberry plant.

For teachers: any of various prickly or thorny shrubs, especially those in the genera Rosa or Rubus, typically growing in dense thickets.

- He scratched his arm on a sharp briar while walking through the woods.
- The abandoned garden was quickly reclaimed by wild briars, their thorny stems weaving a dense barrier across the old stone path.

Usage: Often used in the plural to describe a thicket of such plants.

### 2. smoking pipe

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a pipe for smoking tobacco made from the hard root of a Mediterranean shrub.

For teachers: a tobacco pipe made from the tough, heat-resistant root of the tree heath (Erica arborea).

- The old man sat by the fire, quietly cleaning his favorite briar.
- Collectors prize pipes made from old-growth briar for their superior heat resistance and the intricate beauty of the wood grain.

Usage: Can refer to both the wood itself and the finished pipe.

## Examples

- He smoked a small briar pipe every morning.
- The gardener carefully trimmed the briar bushes to prevent them from damaging the fence.
- The artisan spent years carving intricate patterns into the briar wood, eventually creating a pipe that was both functional and a piece of high art.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.