Briar Patch
In Appalachian and Southern speech, a "briar patch" is a thick tangle of thorny plants - blackberry canes, greenbrier vines, wild roses, or any prickly brush growing close together. It’s a bigger, meaner version of a single sticker bush.
Hillbilly Dude Says...
It takes a bunch of 'sticker bushes' to make a 'briar patch.' This one is in everday use in the summer. Hillbilly Dude Says...
It takes a bunch of 'sticker bushes' to make a 'briar patch.' This one is in everday use in the summer. Pronunciation
[BRAR patch]
Meaning & Usage
- A dense thicket of thorny plants (noun)
Mae:
Don’t cut through there - that’s a briar patch.
Don’t cut through there - that’s a briar patch.
Earl:
Reckon my britches wouldn’t survive it anyhow.
Reckon my britches wouldn’t survive it anyhow.variations: bramble patch, thicket, thorn patch, sticker patch, sticker bushes, pricker patch (regional)
★ A briar patch isn’t one plant - it’s a whole mess of them. Blackberry vines, greenbrier, roses, or whatever thorny brush is growing thick together. One "sticker bush" scratches - a briar patch shreds. ★
Origin and Etymology
From Middle English *brer* (briar, thorny plant). "Patch" simply means a dense spot or clump. The phrase became common across the South and Appalachia, reinforced by folktales like Br’er Rabbit.
Usage Notes
Still common in Appalachian and Southern talk. "Briar patch" often carries a hint of childhood memories - warnings not to run into one, or tales of hunting, rabbits, and blackberries. Closely related to "sticker bush," but refers to a whole tangle instead of just one bush.
Say It Like a Southerner
Said plain: "brar patch." The "i" in "briar" often drops out in mountain talk.
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How to Cite This Page
- APA (7th edition)The Hillbilly Dude. (2025, August 27). Briar Patch. HillbillySlang.com. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/definitions/briar-patch
- MLA (9th edition)"The Hillbilly Dude." "Briar Patch." HillbillySlang.com, 27 Aug. 2025, https://www.hillbillyslang.com/definitions/briar-patch.
- Chicago (17th edition)The Hillbilly Dude. "Briar Patch." HillbillySlang.com. August 27, 2025. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/definitions/briar-patch.
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Created by a true, actual, proper, real-life hillbilly, HillbillySlang is a growing field guide to culture, speech, memory, and meaning - rooted in Appalachia but reaching across the world. Every slang word, saying, accent and story is gathered from first-hand experience and trusted sources. The goal: preserve authentic voices and share them with writers, learners, and culture lovers everywhere - with a little humor thrown in here and there. Read more...