briny

¹

[ brahy-nee ]

adjective

, brin·i·er, brin·i·est.

1. of or like brine; salty:

   a briny taste.

briny

²

[ brahy-nee ]

noun

1. ocean.

briny

/ ˈbraɪnɪ /

adjective

1. of or resembling brine; salty

noun

1. the briny
   an informal name for the sea

Derived Forms

• ˈbrininess, noun

Other Words From

• brini·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of briny¹

First recorded in 1600–10; brine + -y ¹

Origin of briny²

First recorded in 1825–35; brine + -y ²

Example Sentences

Outside, the briny tang of windswept sea air, the North Sea swirling tempestuously below.

From New York Times

Sea lions, he added, are like “sentinels of the sea,” providing clues about what is affecting the briny deep, such as toxins that sicken them and shifting fish populations that they chase.

From Los Angeles Times

Some of it gets in my mouth, filling it with a briny taste.

From Literature

A well sunk on the freshwater side will flow with sweet water, but one that drills down into the brackish meeting point between fresh and salt will come up briny.

From Science Daily

The process is energy intensive — often fueled by greenhouse-gas-emitting fossil fuels — and produces a thick, briny sludge on the back-end that is typically released back into the ocean.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• saline