An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Brünne

by Friedrich Kluge

Brünne, feminine, recently borrowed from the equivalent Middle High German brünne (Old High German brunna), feminine, ‘breastplate’; compare Gothic brunjô (whence Old French brunie), Old Icelandic brynja, Anglo-Saxon byrne; not from brennen; the appellations ‘glowing, shining,’ scarcely suit the earlier leather breastplates. Old Irish bruinne, ‘breast,’ is more probably allied. From Teutonic are borrowed Old French broigne and Old Slovenian brŭnja, ‘coat of mail.’