brístín
The Irish word for knickers is brístín.
brístín is used to refer to women's panties. Depending on the context, it can also be used to describe children's shorts or trousers.
Meaning: woman's panties (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word brístín is the diminutive form of brístí (trousers), literally meaning 'little trousers'.
How does it change in a sentence?
While the English word 'knickers' is plural, brístín is a singular noun in Irish.
Did you know?
- The word 'bríste', from which 'brístín' is derived, shares an ancient linguistic ancestor with the English word 'breeches'.
- The diminutive suffix '-ín' used in brístín is incredibly versatile and is used to make objects sound smaller or more endearing, such as in 'leipín' for 'little letter'.
- In traditional Irish culture, brístín can refer to the specific type of short trousers worn by young children before they transitioned to full trousers.
Example conversation
Siobhán is packing her suitcase for a trip.
- CathalAn bhfuil do brístín sa mhála?Are your knickers in the bag?
- SiobhánTá, ach tá mé ag lorg níos mó.Yes, but I am looking for more.
- CathalTá an brístín seo anseo.These knickers are here.
- SiobhánGo raibh maith agat, a Chathail.Thank you, Cathal.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry brístín, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries brístín, CC BY-SA 4.0.
