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Glite Dictionary
byrnie

byrnie

9.9
Long coat made of many small metal rings worn without sleeves for protection in battle
  • noun
  • /ˈbərnē/
  • Archaic
translation icon : cota de malla
  • The knight wore a shiny byrnie for protection.

Examples

  • Archaeologists found a rusted byrnie among the ancient burial goods.

  • In old sagas, heroes are often described wearing a shimmering byrnie into combat.

  • The knight donned his byrnie before heading into battle.

  • Can you see the byrnie on that statue?

  • He donned a byrnie to protect himself in battle.

  • The byrnie provided excellent defense against sword strikes.

  • In medieval times, knights commonly wore a byrnie as part of their armor.

Synonyms

mail
vsbyrnie
  • Archaic
8 9.9

Armor made of small metal rings joined to protect the body

is the long usually sleeveless tunic form rather than any armor item
chain mail
vsbyrnie
4 8.6

A flexible shirt of small metal rings joined together for protection

is the long usually sleeveless tunic form rather than the general armor type
hauberk
vsbyrnie
  • Archaic
9.9

A long shirt of metal rings worn by soldiers for protection in battle

is the same garment but called by a different historic name
chain armor
vsbyrnie
  • US
8.2

A protective shirt made of small metal rings linked together, worn by knights and soldiers

is the specific long usually sleeveless tunic form of that general armor

Surface Forms

byrnie singular
byrnies plural

Etymology

Byrnie comes from Old Norse brynja, which means 'coat of chain mail' and brings to mind a shirt made of many small metal rings. So a byrnie is a protective metal tunic worn into battle.