broch

1 of 2

obsolete variant of brooch

broch

2 of 2

noun

ˈbräḵ,

ˈbrəḵ

plural -s

1

Scottish : a luminous ring around the moon popularly regarded as an omen of bad weather

2

: one of the prehistoric circular stone towers found on the Orkney and Shetland islands and the Scottish mainland and usually consisting of double walls enclosing small apartments about a central court

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Scots broch, bruch, literally, borough, from Middle English (Scots) brugh borough, alteration of Middle English burgh

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!