Illustration of brig
1
: a place (as on a ship) for temporary confinement of offenders in the U.S. Navy
2
: guardhouse, prison
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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
Keith Phipps, Vulture, 7 Aug. 2025
Even if one of the arriving Republic cruisers is probably about to scoop him up and throw him into a proper brig.
—Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine, 14 Jan. 2025
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
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Noun
M’Benga makes the difficult decision to send Gamble, or whatever, to the brig.
—Keith Phipps, Vulture, 7 Aug. 2025
Even if one of the arriving Republic cruisers is probably about to scoop him up and throw him into a proper brig.
—Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine, 14 Jan. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for brig
Cite this Entry
“Brig.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brig. Accessed 8 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids 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
noun1
: a place (as on a ship) for temporary confinement of offenders in the United States Navy
2
: a military prison
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