# bra

Pronunciation: say "BRAH" US /bɹɑ/, AUS /bɹɑː/

## Noun

1. A piece of underwear, typically worn by women to support the breasts.
   - Simple: A piece of underwear that women wear to support their breasts.
   - _A well-fitted bra can improve comfort throughout the day._
   - _Many sports bras are designed to limit movement during exercise._
2. Another spelling of bro: a friend or buddy, often used as a casual, friendly form of address, mainly to a man. *(slang)* — Alternative form of bro; friend, mate
   - Simple: Another spelling of bro: a friend, or a casual, friendly word for talking to someone, mainly a man.
   - _No worries, bra, I've got your back._
   - _Slow down, bra, there's no rush to finish this._

## Other meanings

- (noun) In quantum mechanics, the row vector in the standard notation for describing a quantum state; its paired column vector is the ket.

## Origin

**Meaning 1** — The word is short for brassiere, which English borrowed from French brassière. Its source is Old French braciere, first a lining inside armor that protected the arm and later a garment, built on Old French brace ("arm"). Further back are Latin bracchium ("forearm") and Ancient Greek brakhíōn, and ultimately a Proto-Indo-European root meaning "short."
**Meaning 2** — Representing a different pronunciation of bro ("brother").

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/bra (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).