brown

1 of 3

adjective

1
a
: having the color of wood or chocolate
especially : of the color brown (see brown entry 2 sense 1)
a brown cow
brown eyes and hair
as brown as the oak leaves
b
: having dark or tanned skin
Their hands and faces were brown from long days in the sun.
2
or less commonly Brown : of or relating to any of various population groups considered as having medium pigmentation of the skin
Black and brown Americans

brown

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noun

plural browns
1
: any of a group of colors between red and yellow in hue, of medium to low lightness, and of moderate to low saturation
2
browns or less commonly Browns plural : people belonging to any of various population groups considered as having medium pigmentation of the skin

Note: The plural noun browns is used mostly in phrases referring to multiple population groups.

3
brownish adjective
browny adjective

brown

3 of 3

verb

browned; browning; browns

intransitive verb

: to become brown

transitive verb

: to make brown

Examples of brown in a Sentence

Adjective workers whose backs are brown from long hours in the sun Noun The room was decorated in brown. a mix of browns and reds Verb Brown the chicken in a pan with butter. Her skin was browned by the sun. The chicken is browning in the oven.
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
The cute creature has dark brown fur, large eyes and pointy ears. Caroline Reid, Forbes, 22 Oct. 2024 Aydemir said the color strikes a perfect balance between orange and brown and aligns with current trends. Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 22 Oct. 2024
Noun
Each model was given a skin tone-flattering base shade, ranging from beige to dark brown, topped with Zoya Nail Polish in Sawyer, a soft coral, at the tips and dots at the cuticles. Allure Editors, Allure, 21 Oct. 2024 Everything in the Flow system, including accessories offered in colors that include space gray, silver, gold, rose gold, espresso brown, deep green, and midnight blue, is available for preorder today. Andrew Liszewski, The Verge, 15 Oct. 2024
Verb
Add brisket and cook until well browned on both sides, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Liv Dansky, Southern Living, 23 Oct. 2024 When Trump selected Vance as his running mate in July 2024, Vance also dyed his gray hair to brown to possibly appear more youthful. Therèsa M. Winge, The Conversation, 23 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for brown 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'brown.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English broun, from Old English brūn; akin to Old High German brūn brown, Greek phrynē toad

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of brown was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near brown

Cite this Entry

“Brown.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brown. Accessed 2 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

brown

1 of 3 adjective
1
: of the color brown
2
: of dark or tanned complexion
3
: of or relating to any of various population groups considered to have medium skin color

brown

2 of 3 noun
: a color like that of coffee or chocolate that is a blend of red and yellow darkened by black
brownish adjective

brown

3 of 3 verb
: to make or become brown

Biographical Definition

Brown 1 of 7

biographical name (1)

Charles Brockden 1771–1810 American novelist

Brown

2 of 7

biographical name (2)

Ford Mad*ox ˈma-dəks How to pronounce Brown (audio) 1821–1893 English painter

Brown

3 of 7

biographical name (3)

George 1818–1880 Canadian (Scottish-born) journalist and politician

Brown

4 of 7

biographical name (4)

(James) Gordon 1951–     British prime minister (2007–10)

Brown

5 of 7

biographical name (5)

James (Joseph) 1933–2006 American singer and songwriter

Brown

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biographical name (6)

John 1800–1859 Old Brown of Osawatomie ˌō-sə-ˈwä-tə-mē How to pronounce Brown (audio) American abolitionist

Brown

7 of 7

biographical name (7)

Michael Stuart 1941–     American biochemist
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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