brig

1 of 3

noun (1)

: a 2-masted square-rigged ship

Illustration of brig

Illustration of brig

brig

2 of 3

noun (2)

1
: a place (as on a ship) for temporary confinement of offenders in the U.S. Navy
2

brig

3 of 3

abbreviation

Did you know?

A two-masted sailing ship with square rigging on both masts is called a brig. Brigs were both naval and merchant (mercantile) vessels. As merchantmen, they often followed coastal trading routes. However, ocean voyages were not uncommon, and some were even used for whaling and sealing. Naval brigs carried 10–20 guns on a single deck. In the 18th and 19th centuries, they served as couriers for battle fl eets and as training vessels for cadets. Brigs of the early US Navy won distinction on the Great Lakes in the War of 1812. Because square rigging required a large crew, merchant brigs became uneconomical, and in the 19th century they began to give way to vessels such as the schooner and the bark.

Examples of brig in a Sentence

Noun (2) the captain ordered that the prisoner be thrown into the brig immediately
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The government held both Padilla and al-Marri in a Navy brig to keep them out of civilian custody. Brian Michael Jenkins, Foreign Affairs, 1 Feb. 2012 Rare photos showcase the quirky spot where mock battles were staged while female patrons were abducted and held in the brig to see who could scream the loudest — highly inappropriate by today’s standards. Pat Saperstein, Variety, 28 June 2024 It’s believed the 124-foot ship is a schooner or brig built in the mid-19th century, with its hull sheathed in copper. Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 20 June 2024 The few sailors who were responding to Brooks’ commands climbed aloft to square the yards so that the brig could run toward land. Eric Jay Dolin, Smithsonian Magazine, 6 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for brig 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'brig.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

short for brigantine

Noun (2)

probably from brig entry 1

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1712, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1832, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of brig was in 1712

Dictionary Entries Near brig

Cite this Entry

“Brig.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brig. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

brig

1 of 2 noun
: a square-rigged sailing ship with two masts

brig

2 of 2 noun
: a place (as on a ship) for temporary imprisonment of offenders in the U.S. Navy

Legal Definition

brig

noun
1
: a place (as on a ship) for temporary confinement of offenders in the United States Navy
2
: a military prison

More from Merriam-Webster on brig

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