A French-origin noun referring to a public house or tavern that brews and serves beer, typically with a casual, bustling atmosphere. In English usage, it denotes a beer-focused restaurant or pub, often featuring a French-style menu or interior. The word connotes a social, convivial space for drinking and light dining.
"We stopped at a cozy brasserie for a late lunch and a few beers."
"The Paris brasserie was crowded, lively, and full of conversation."
"He preferred local brasseries to fancy restaurants while traveling."
"In the guide, look for a brasserie near the river with outdoor seating."
Brasserie comes from the French word brasserie, meaning a brewery or beer shop, from Old French bracier meaning to brew or make beer. The root is likely from Latin brai- or French brasser, tied to brasser meaning to brew or mix; brasserie first appeared in English in the late 19th to early 20th century to describe a beer-focused eating and drinking venue modeled after French styles. Historically, brasseries in France were large, semi-industrial places associated with brewing and supplying beer to markets and restaurants; in English, the term broadened to describe a casual, beer-forward dining establishment rather than a bare beer house. Over time, brasserie also gained broader culinary associations, especially in major cities, where a brasserie signals a relaxed, often French-influenced menu and a bustling, social environment. First known English usage is tied to posts and travelogue descriptions in the late 1800s.
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Words that rhyme with "Brasserie"
-rie sounds
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Brasserie is pronounced BRAS-uh-ree in US and UK English, with the second syllable lightly stressed and ending with a short /i/ or /ɪ/. IPA: US /ˈbræsəri/, UK /ˈbræsərɪ/. In careful speech, place your tension on the first syllable, then lightly vocalize the final two: /ˈbræs.ə.ri/ in some realizations. Audio resources can help you hear the subtle /ə/ between consonants.
Common errors: (1) Pronouncing as one syllable or “brassi-” with a long i; keep it three syllables: /ˈbræs.ə.ri/. (2) Confusing the middle schwa with a full vowel; use a quick, relaxed /ə/ between /s/ and /r/. (3) Dropping the final /i/ or making it /ɪ/; aim for a clear, light /i/ at the end. Practice with word-by-word breakdown and a final run-through in connected speech.
US tends to lift the first syllable with /æ/ and a schwa in the middle, ending in a soft /i/ sound. UK often uses a slightly shorter, crisper /ɪ/ at the end and flatter vowel qualities, with less rhoticity in some speakers. Australian English may show a broader /æ/ in the first vowel and a broader diphthong in the final syllable, with a more centralized final /ə/ before /ri/. Overall, the rhythm remains three syllables, but vowel qualities shift subtly by region.
The difficulty lies in the three-syllable structure with consecutive consonants (/brs/ cluster) and the need for a light, unstressed middle syllable /ə/. English speakers often over-articulate the middle vowel or cluster the sounds, producing /bræs-sɛ-ri/ or /bræzɛri/. The key challenges are maintaining a soft middle schwa and ensuring the final /ri/ is light and quick, not rushed. Practicing slow, then normal tempo helps integrate the rhythm.
A unique nuance is the subtle /z/ in the cluster after /s/: some speakers briefly voice the /s/ into a /z/ sound when preceding the /æ/ or /ə/. To avoid this, keep the /s/ as a crisp, voiceless s before the rounded /r/ onset and deliver /ˈbræs.ə.ri/ with a clean, lightly voiced /r/ for non-rhotic variants. This attention to the /s/–/ə/–/r/ transition helps clarity in rapid speech.
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