Brittany

noun

Brit·​ta·​ny ˈbri-tə-nē How to pronounce Brittany (audio)
variants or less commonly Brittany spaniel
plural Brittanys also Brittanies or Brittany spaniels
: any of a breed of medium-sized gundogs of French origin that resemble spaniels in appearance and have a smooth or slightly wavy coat of orange and white or liver and white somewhat fringed on the chest, forelegs, and thighs

Note: The Brittany originated in France most likely by breeding British pointers with spaniels of the former French province of Brittany to produce a bird dog with an action suggestive of a setter.

Word History

Etymology

Brittany, region in France

First Known Use

1945, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Brittany was in 1945

Dictionary Entries Near Brittany

Cite this Entry

“Brittany.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Brittany. Accessed 25 Dec. 2024.

Geographical Definition

Brittany

geographical name

Brit·​ta·​ny ˈbri-tə-nē How to pronounce Brittany (audio)
variants or French Bretagne
historic region and former province of northwestern France largely on a peninsula jutting into the Atlantic with the English Channel to the north and the Bay of Biscay to the south

see also breton

More from Merriam-Webster on Brittany

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!