bristle
[ bris-uh l ]
/ ˈbrɪs əl /
noun
one of the short, stiff, coarse hairs of certain animals, especially hogs, used extensively in making brushes.
anything resembling these hairs.
verb (used without object), bris·tled, bris·tling.
verb (used with object), bris·tled, bris·tling.
Origin of bristle
before 1000; Middle English
bristel, equivalent to
brist (Old English
byrst bristle, cognate with German
Borste, Old Norse
burst) +
-el diminutive suffix
OTHER WORDS FROM bristle
bris·tle·less, adjective bris·tle·like, adjective non·bris·tled, adjective un·bris·tled, adjectiveWords nearby bristle
Example sentences from the Web for bristling
British Dictionary definitions for bristling
bristle
/ (ˈbrɪsəl) /
noun
any short stiff hair of an animal or plant
something resembling these hair
toothbrush bristle
verb
Derived forms of bristle
bristly, adjectiveWord Origin for bristle
C13
bristil,
brustel, from earlier
brust, from Old English
byrst; related to Old Norse
burst, Old High German
borst