Brazier

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈbɹeɪʒəɹ/

Definitions

1. A vessel made of metal intended for holding burning materials to generate heat or light
2. A metal container used to hold charcoal or coal for heating or cooking purposes
3. A heat-producing receptacle designed to safely contain burning fuel such as charcoal

Etymology: The most surprising thing about "brazier" is that its English form and its French form descend from two different senses. The Middle English "brasiere" was built on "brasen," meaning "to cover with brass," from Old English "brasian" or "bræsian," which is a verb of the same metal-working family as "brass." Readers could easily assume the word is simply a container made of brass, and the source's own surface analysis points that way, but the metal link is only a guess about its appearance, not a settled account of its origin. The vessel itself came into English later, borrowed from French "brasier," meaning a pan of hot coals. That French word goes back to Middle and Old French forms derived from "brese," meaning embers or hot coals, which is of Germanic origin and traces to Proto-Germanic "*brasō." English "braise," the cooking term for slow-cooking with a little liquid in a covered pot, comes from the same stock, so the kitchen and the hearth share a root.

Synonyms: fire pit, grill, barbecue