birse

noun

ˈbirs

ˈbərs

Synonyms of birse next

next

1

chiefly Scotland : a bristle or tuft of bristles

2

chiefly Scotland : anger

Examples of birse in a Sentence

as the lad's birse is fair up, it'd be best to leave him alone

Word History

Etymology

Middle English *birst, from Old English byrst — more at bristle

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of birse was before the 12th century

See more words from the same century

Browse Nearby Words

birrus

birse

birsle

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Birse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/birse. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

hobgoblin

Listen to the pronunciation of hobgoblin

See Definitions and Examples »

Get Word of the Day daily email!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Using Bullet Points ( • )

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

What’s the difference between ‘cemetery’ and ‘graveyard’?

Popular in Wordplay

Skibidi, Mog & More: Gen Alpha Slang

13 Wonderful Words That You're Not Using (Yet)

Ten More Words from Taylor Swift Songs

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE

Popular

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Skibidi, Mog & More: Gen Alpha Slang

13 Wonderful Words That You're Not Using (Yet)