Brach

/bræk/ noun

Definition

A female dog or hound, especially a hunting dog; also an archaic or dialect word meaning a bitch.

Etymology

From Old English 'bræc,' likely related to Old High German 'brehhan' and other Germanic words for female dogs. The word is related to 'bitch' but was the polite form in some historical periods.

Kelly Says

In medieval hunting texts, writers carefully distinguish between 'braches' (female hounds) and male dogs because breeding programs required tracking which dogs produced the best hunters.

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