brooch
BROHCH
/broʊtʃ/
An ornamental jewelry piece with a pin or clasp attached, meant to be pinned onto clothing.
Implies a decorative fastener worn directly on garments rather than around limbs or neck.
The story behind the word. Originating from Old French 'broche' (a sharp peg or spit), derived from Vulgar Latin brocca (pointed object). The original function was purely functional—a sharp pin used to fasten heavy cloaks—before evolving into an ornamental item.
Word relationships
- pin: 'Pin' is a broader category; a brooch is specifically an ornamental pin, often heavy or ornate.
- clasp: A clasp holds two ends together, whereas a brooch is pinned onto fabric.
Commonly confused with
- broach: 'Broach' means to introduce a topic for discussion, while 'brooch' is decorative jewelry.
Word family
- brooches (noun): Plural form of brooch.
Collocations
- diamond brooch
- vintage brooch
- pin a brooch
- gold brooch
Example sentences
- "Her woolen coat was fastened at the shoulder with an antique diamond brooch." Historical Dress
- "The queen pinned the royal brooch upon her lapel prior to addressing the assembly." Literature Citation
Memory hook
A BROOCH needs a sharp pin to BROACH (pierce) through heavy fabric. Pin it on your coat.
When not to use
Do not confuse phonetically or orthographically with 'broach' (verb: to bring up a sensitive topic).
Fun facts
- Former US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright famously used her brooches as subtle diplomatic signals during political meetings.
Explore more words
fascinator, Buckle, Cufflink, ornamental, paperclip, embellished
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