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'Brooch' is a decorative pin worn on clothing; 'broach' is the verb meaning to raise or introduce a sensitive subject.
Side-by-side comparison
"Brooch" is the decorative pin or clasp worn on clothing. It is a piece of jewelry fastened with a pin.
She wore a silver brooch in the shape of a bird on the lapel of her blazer.
The antique brooch had been passed down through four generations of the same family.
He gave her a brooch with an emerald at the centre as a graduation gift.
"Broach" is the verb to raise or introduce a sensitive topic. "Broach the subject" = bring up the topic. Also a cooking tool for skewering meat.
She finally broached the subject of a salary review after six months of waiting.
Broaching the idea of restructuring the team required careful timing and preparation.
He was unsure how to broach the topic of the missed deadline with his manager.
Common mistake
- •"She wore a broach" when referring to the jewellery pin is the most common mistake.
- •The decorative pin is "brooch" (double OO).
- •"Broach" with A is the verb meaning to raise a difficult topic: "He broached the subject".
Trick to remember it
- •"Brooch" has double OO like two jewels on a decorative pin.
- •"Broach" rhymes with "approach": you approach and bring up a difficult topic.
Quick rule
- •"Brooch" (double OO) = the decorative jewellery pin (noun).
- •"Broach" = to raise a sensitive topic (verb).
Did you know?
Brooches are among humanity's oldest jewellery. Celtic examples from over 2,500 years ago, originally functional cloak clasps. The Tara Brooch (Ireland, c. 700 AD) is considered a masterpiece of medieval European art. "Brooch" and "broach" share the same origin: Old French "broche" (spike, needle). The metaphorical sense of "broach a subject" comes from broaching a cask, piercing something sealed to let its contents out. Two words from one origin, split into a noun spelling and a verb spelling.
Practise what you learned
Exercise 1 · Pick the right one
She wore a silver _____ in the shape of a butterfly on her coat.
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
He finally found the courage to _____ the subject of the salary increase with his manager.
Exercise 3 · Form the word
Related word pairs
One means to receive or agree to something, the other means to exclude or not include.
'Advice' is the guidance you receive (noun); 'advise' is the act of giving that guidance (verb).
'Affect' is the verb meaning to influence something; 'effect' is the noun meaning result or consequence.
'Aisle' is the walkway between rows of seats or shelves; 'isle' is a small island.
Bryan López
Founder of SpeakUP Academy