brioche

American  

[bree-ohsh, -osh, bree-awsh] / ˈbri oʊʃ, -ɒʃ, briˈɔʃ /

noun

plural

brioches

1. a light, sweet bun or roll made with eggs, yeast, and butter.

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brioche British  

/ ˈbriːəʊʃ, -ɒʃ, briɔʃ /

noun

1. a soft roll or loaf made from a very light yeast dough, sometimes mixed with currants

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Etymology

Origin of brioche

1820–30; < French, Middle French (Norman dial.), equivalent to bri ( er ) to knead (< Germanic; see break) + -oche noun suffix

Explanation

Brioche is a soft, slightly sweet French bread made with butter and eggs. A toasted slice of brioche slathered with jam would make a delicious afternoon snack. Brioche, like challah or fluffy dinner rolls, is enriched — that means it's a yeast bread with extra ingredients that give it a richer flavor and a tender texture. You can eat brioche for breakfast, use it for sandwiches, or turn it into French toast or bread pudding after it's gone a bit stale. The first use of brioche in French dates from the 15th century, and the word derives from brier, "to knead the dough."

Example Sentences

Dinner was supposed to be crab brioche at a seafood restaurant mentioned on the BBC show “Remarkable Places to Eat.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 25, 2026

In the kitchen, Kai rolls out dough for buckwheat brioche bread paired with herb butter.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 2, 2026

The truest to buttery brioche in flavor and texture, and through its lightness, one could almost convince oneself this is breakfast.

From Salon • Feb. 5, 2026

These folks are way beyond asking if the boulangeries are out of brioche as well as baguettes.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 2, 2026

In the morning I walked down the Boulevard to the rue Soufflot for coffee and brioche.

From "The Sun Also Rises" by Ernest Hemingway