What does brindled mean?
Brindled describes a coat or surface marked with irregular streaks, stripes, or patches of grey and brown, producing a muted, mottled appearance. It is used chiefly of animals — dogs, cats, horses, and cattle are all commonly called brindled when their fur shows this distinctive dark-on-light patterning — though writers occasionally extend it metaphorically to landscapes or shadows. The word carries a rustic, literary flavour and appears frequently in nature writing, rural description, and discussions of pedigree breeds, where brindle coats are prized in breeds such as the Greyhound, Boxer, and Dutch Shepherd. Related to it is the noun 'brindle', which names the pattern itself. First recorded in English in the early seventeenth century, 'brindled' derives from an earlier form 'brendled', whose deeper origins remain uncertain. For anyone describing an animal's markings precisely, 'brindled' offers a vivid, established alternative to plainer words like 'streaked' or 'spotted'.
adjectiveMarked with streaks or patches of grey and brown; having a dull brownish colour flecked or striped with darker tones.
- Having a coat or surface marked with irregular streaks or patches of grey and brown; used chiefly of animals such as dogs, cats, and cattle.
"The brindled cattle grazed quietly on the misty hillside."
"A brindled terrier dozed in the corner of the pub by the fire."
"From the ridge we could see brindled shadows where the forest met the moor."
That grey-brown tiger-stripe on your dog's coat has a name older than most dog breeds themselves — 'brindled' first appeared in print in the early 1600s.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of brindled
First attested in English in the early seventeenth century as 'brendled', 'brindled' appears to be a derivative of the dialect word 'brend', meaning brown or burnt, though its ultimate origins are uncertain and not traced to a definite root. It functions as the adjectival counterpart to the noun 'brindle', which names the grey-brown streaked patterning itself, especially in animal coats.
Related word forms
How brindled is actually used
'Brindled' is a somewhat literary or descriptive adjective, more common in nature writing and dog breeding contexts than everyday speech. It applies almost exclusively to animal coats and, by extension, to surfaces resembling that patterning. The related noun form is 'brindle'.
Easily confused with brindled
'Brindled' is the adjective describing the grey-brown streaked pattern, while 'brindle' can be a noun naming the pattern itself.