brogue

1 of 2

noun (1)

1
: a stout coarse shoe worn formerly in Ireland and the Scottish Highlands
2
: a heavy shoe often with a hobnailed sole : brogan
3
: a stout oxford shoe with perforations and usually a wing tip

brogue

2 of 2

noun (2)

: a dialect or regional pronunciation
especially : an Irish accent

Did you know?

Did you expect brogue to be defined as "an Irish accent"? You're probably not alone; however, brogue has two homographs (words that are spelled—and, in this case, pronounced—the same but have different origins or parts of speech). Today we're featuring brogue, the shoe, which comes from the Irish word bróg and probably derives from an Old Norse term meaning "leg covering." Brogue, the accent, comes from a different Irish word, barróg, which means "accent" or "speech impediment."

Examples of brogue in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
How much of the development of this new character was conceived in the writers’ room — the beard, the missing tooth, the Irish brogue! Ryan Schwartz, TVLine, 17 Sep. 2024 Charli xcx, Billie Eilish Donate Unused Underwear from 'Guess' Remix Music Video to Survivors of Domestic Violence Fellow artist Lorde, 27, made an appearance at the bash in a cute casual outfit featuring a black bandeau top with a white puffball skirt and black brogues while sporting pigtails. Escher Walcott, Peoplemag, 4 Aug. 2024 On Day One at Rory William Docherty, black sheer socks were paired with drapey tailoring and brogues, while Day Two started with activewear label P.E Nation sending sheer black and beige stocking socks down the runway with sneakers. Angela Law, refinery29.com, 20 May 2024 Alternatively, this would look great styled with a pair of Church’s x Miu Miu brogues (look to the Miu Miu fall/winter 2024 runway for some great inspiration on how to style it). Jenny Walton, Vogue, 29 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for brogue 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'brogue.' 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)

Irish bróg & Scottish Gaelic bròg, from Middle Irish bróc, probably from Old Norse brōk leg covering; akin to Old English brōc leg covering — more at breech

Noun (2)

Irish barróg accent, speech impediment, literally, wrestling hold, tight grip

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1584, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1677, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of brogue was in 1584

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Dictionary Entries Near brogue

Cite this Entry

“Brogue.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brogue. Accessed 8 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

brogue

1 of 2 noun
1
: brogan
2
: a low shoe with decorative holes along the seams and often at the toe

brogue

2 of 2 noun
: a dialect or regional pronunciation
especially : an Irish accent
Etymology

Noun

from Irish bróg and Scottish Gaelic bròg "stout shoe," derived from an early Norse word meaning "leg covering"

Noun

Irish barróg "accent, speech impediment," literally, "wrestling grip, tight hold"

More from Merriam-Webster on brogue

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