brown Meaning & Definition
What Does Brown Mean?
As a noun, brown means A colour like that of chocolate or coffee. It can also mean One of the colour balls used in snooker, with a value of 4 points. As an adjective, it means Having a brown color/colour. As a verb, it means To become brown.
Quick Facts About Brown
| Part of speech | noun, adjective, verb |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | //bɹaʊ̯n// |
| Syllables | 1 |
| Synonyms | chromatic, brownish and brownness |
| Antonyms | nonbrown |
| Plural | browns |
| Comparative / superlative | browner, brownest |
| Verb forms | browns, browning, browned |
Brown Definition (Noun)
- A colour like that of chocolate or coffee.
The browns and greens in this painting give it a nice woodsy feel.
- One of the colour balls used in snooker, with a value of 4 points.
- Black tar heroin.
- A copper coin.
- A brown horse or other animal.
- A person of mostly Latin American (or Latino), Middle Eastern/North African, South Asian, and sometimes Southeast Asian, Pacific Islander, or rarely Native American descent; a brown-skinned person; someone of mulatto, or biracial appearance.
- Any of various nymphalid butterflies of subfamily Satyrinae (formerly the family Satyridae), such as those of the genera Heteronympha and Melanitis.
- A brown trout (Salmo trutta).
- A mass of birds or animals that may be indiscriminately fired at.
- A brown dye or pigment.
- A pen, pencil, crayon, etc., made of brown pigment.
Brown as an Adjective
- Having a brown color/colour.
- Gloomy.
- Of or relating to any of various ethnic groups having dark pigmentation of the skin. Latino/Latin American of color. South Asian or sometimes Middle Eastern or North African Southeast Asian, Pacific Islander, or sometimes Native American
- Latino/Latin American
- of color.
- South Asian or sometimes Middle Eastern or North African
- Southeast Asian, Pacific Islander, or sometimes Native American
- Not green (environmentally irresponsible); anti-green (against environmental protection).
Brown as a Verb
- To become brown.
Fry the onions until they brown.
- Synonym of poop (“to defecate”).
I've just browned myself.
- To cook something until it becomes brown.
- To tan.
Light-skinned people tend to brown when exposed to the sun.
- To make brown or dusky.
- To give a bright brown colour to, as to gun barrels, by forming a thin coating of oxide on their surface.
- To turn progressively more Hispanic or Latino, in the context of the population of a geographic region.
the browning of America
Noun
- (sometimes capitalised) A person of Middle Eastern, Latino or South Asian descent; a brown-skinned person; someone of mulatto or biracial appearance.
- Any of various nymphalid butterflies of subfamily Satyrinae (formerly the family Satyridae).
- Any of certain species of nymphalid butterflies of subfamily Satyrinae, such as those of the genera Heteronympha and Melanitis.
Verb
- (usually derogatory) To turn progressively more Middle Eastern, Hispanic or Latino, in the context of the population of a geographic region.
the browning of America
- To treat with deference, or respect.
Adjective
- Having a brown colour.
- (sometimes capitalized) Of or relating to any of various ethnic groups having dark pigmentation of the skin.
Synonyms of Brown
Brown synonyms and antonyms →Antonyms of Brown
Brown in a Sentence
The browns and greens in this painting give it a nice woodsy feel.
He wore brown jeans for his birthday.
brown:
Fry the onions until they brown.
I've just browned myself.
Light-skinned people tend to brown when exposed to the sun.
the browning of America
Brown the onions in a large frying pan.
Word Forms & Grammar
brown (countable and uncountable, plural browns)
brown (comparative browner or more brown, superlative brownest or most brown)
brown (third-person singular simple present browns, present participle browning, simple past and past participle browned)
Words That Rhyme With Brown
Origin of Brown
Inherited from Middle English broun, from Old English brūn (“brown; dark; dusky”), from Proto-West Germanic *brūn, from Proto-Germanic *brūnaz, from Proto-Indo-European *bʰerH-. Doublet of bruin.
How to Pronounce Brown
The standard pronunciation of brown is //bɹaʊ̯n//, spoken in 1 syllable.
Frequently Asked Questions About Brown
Is brown a noun or an adjective?
Brown is mainly used as a noun, but it can also be used as an adjective and a verb.
What is another word for brown?
Close synonyms of brown are chromatic, brownish and brownness. See the full list of brown synonyms and antonyms.
What is the opposite of brown?
The opposite of brown is nonbrown.
What is the plural of brown?
The plural of brown is browns.
What is the past tense of brown?
The past tense of brown is browned. The present participle is browning.