Brindle
/ˈbrɪn.dəl/noun
Having a coat marked with irregular dark and light streaks, especially in animals.
Did you know?Brindle is historically linked to Middle English brended, meaning “streaked” or “marked like something burned,” from the Germanic family behind brand and burn.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
Germanic
*brandą
“Burning wood, firebrand, or something marked by fire”
Old English
Old English
byrnan / brinnan
“To burn or be consumed by fire”
Middle English
Middle English
brenden
“To burn; also to mark or streak with a burned appearance”
15th Century
English
brindled / brindle
“Streaked or marked with contrasting colors, especially an animal’s coat”
Modern English
English
brindle
“A striped or mottled brown, gray, or tawny animal coat”