brown

1 of 3

adjective

ˈbrau̇n 

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

2 of 3

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

: brown trout

brownish

ˈbrau̇-nish 

adjective

browny

ˈbrau̇-nē 

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 actor also accessorized dangling black-and-white earrings and a large brown ring. —Raven Brunner, People.com, 31 Aug. 2025

Once the flower heads turn brown, go ahead and harvest the seeds. —Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 31 Aug. 2025

Noun

She’s been toting Max Mara’s reboot of their iconic Whitney bag in on-trend chocolate brown, but also has a penchant for a classic Chanel 19 Flap Bag and Celine Triomphe, the staple Le Cambon from Manu Atelier, and other purses by Khaite and Métier London. —Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 31 Aug. 2025

The chocolate brown suede bag has already conquered fashion insiders around the world. —Tatiana Ojea, Glamour, 30 Aug. 2025

Verb

Braising starts by browning meat or vegetables in fat, then cooking them in a small amount of liquid, such as broth or wine, in a covered vessel. —Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Sep. 2025

Working in batches if needed, add corn in an even layer; cook, rotating occasionally, until browned all over, 3 to 4 minutes. —Sabrina Weiss, People.com, 31 Aug. 2025

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

Phrases Containing brown

• big brown bat
• brown alga
• brown bagging
• brown bear
• brown Betty
• brown bread
• brown coal
• brown dog tick
• brown dwarf
• brown earth
• brown-eyed Susan
• brown fat
• brown-headed cowbird
• brown lung
• brown pelican
• brown rat
• brown recluse spider
• brown rice
• brown rot
• brown sauce
• brown study
• brown sugar
• brown-tail moth
• brown tree snake
• brown trout
• golden-brown alga
• little brown bat
• nut-brown
• Vandyke brown

Rhymes for brown

• bown
• clown
• crown
• drown
• frown
• gown
• lown
• noun
• town
• adown
• blowdown
• breakdown

Kids Definition

brown

1 of 3 adjective

ˈbrau̇n 

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

ˈbrau̇-nish 

adjective

brown

3 of 3 verb

: to make or become brown

Biographical Definition

Brown 1 of 7

biographical name (1)

ˈbrau̇n 

Charles Brockden 1771–1810 American novelist

Brown

2 of 7

biographical name (2)

Ford Mad*ox ˈma-dəks  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

6 of 7

biographical name (6)

John 1800–1859 Old Brown of Osawatomie ˌō-sə-ˈwä-tə-mē  American abolitionist

Brown

7 of 7

biographical name (7)

Michael Stuart 1941–     American biochemist