Etymology

brash

B3R1A1S1H4

Today it means: Overly bold or self-assertive to the point of being insensitive, tactless or impudent; shameless. Full definition →

Scots brash
Ask AI about its historyChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

brash · adjective, noun, verb1

  1. Scots · borrowed frombrash
  2. English todaybrash

Uncertain. Perhaps from Scots brash, brasch (“a violent onset; an attack or assault”). Perhaps also related to Dutch bars (“stern; strict”), German barsch (“harsh; unfriendly”), Danish barsk (“harsh; rough; tough”), Swedish barsk (“harsh; impetuous”).

brash · adjective, noun2

Compare American English bresk, brusk (“fragile, brittle”).

Brash · proper noun3

  1. German · derived fromBraasch
  2. English todayBrash

Two main origins: * Scottish surname; probably from brash, a nickname for an impetuous person. * Americanized spelling of German Braasch.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.