brown
brown
Pronunciation
brown
/braʊn/
Syllable 1: /braʊn/
/b/ - voiced bilabial stop
/r/ - voiced alveolar approximant
/aʊ/ - diphthong (as in "now")
/n/ - voiced alveolar nasal
Word Form Variations
Adjective: brown (singular and plural, as adjectives do not typically have singular/plural forms)
Noun:
Singular: brown
Plural: browns
Verb:
Base form: brown
Third-person singular present: browns
Present participle: browning
Past simple: browned
Past participle: browned
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Adjective:
Definition: Of a color resembling that of earth or wood, typically a mix of red, yellow, and blue pigments, often associated with warmth, naturalness, or dullness.
Synonyms: tawny, sepia, chestnut, beige, russet, earthy
Antonyms: bright, vivid, colorful, uncolored
Noun:
Definition: A color that is a mix of red, yellow, and blue, frequently seen in nature, such as in soil, tree bark, or coffee.
Synonyms: earth tone, chocolate, tan, bronze, umber
Antonyms: (no direct antonyms for a specific color, but one could refer to "absence of color" or "other colors")
Verb:
Definition: To make or become brown, often through cooking, exposure to sunlight, or oxidation, resulting in a change of color or texture.
Synonyms: toast, fry, grill, scorch, tan, oxidize
Antonyms: whiten, lighten, blanch, uncook, brighten
Examples of Use
Books:
"The old man sat by the window, watching the brown leaves flutter from the oak tree." (Gabriel Garcia Marquez, One Hundred Years of Solitude)
"Her eyes were a deep, soulful brown, reflecting the flickering candlelight." (Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice)
Newspapers:
"Local authorities issued a warning about the brown haze hanging over the city, advising residents with respiratory issues to stay indoors." ( The Daily Nation )
"The government has announced a new initiative to restore the degraded brown fields into vibrant community parks." (The Guardian )
Online Publications:
"This autumn, designers are showcasing a range of earthy browns, from rich chocolate to warm caramel, dominating the fashion runways." ( Vogue.com )
"Scientists are studying how climate change is impacting the browning of coral reefs, a critical indicator of ocean health." (National Geographic Online )
Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
Film: (Dialogue) "He's got those kind of brown eyes that just melt your heart." (The Notebook, 2004)
Television Series: (Description in a scene) "The detective pulled up to a dilapidated, brownstone building, its windows boarded up." (Law & Order: SVU, Episode: "Shades of Truth")
Music/Song Lyrics: "And all the leaves are brown, and the sky is grey." (California Dreamin', The Mamas & the Papas)
Video Games: (In-game text description) "You find a worn leather satchel, a deep brown in color, containing several gold coins." (The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, 2011)
Podcasts: "Our guest today discusses the historical significance of the Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court case and its lasting impact on American society." (NPR's Code Switch Podcast, March 2025)
General Public Discourse:
"I need to get a new pair of brown shoes to go with this suit." (Casual conversation)
"Could you pass me the brown sugar, please?" (During cooking)
"The painter mixed a bit of red and yellow to get that perfect shade of brown for the tree trunk." (Art class discussion)
"My dog has a really fluffy, brown coat, especially around his ears." (Describing a pet)
10 Famous Quotes Using Brown
"And all the leaves are brown, and the sky is grey." (The Mamas & The Papas, "California Dreamin'")
"I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: 'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.' I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood. I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice. I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today! I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of interposition and nullification – one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers. I have a dream today!" (Martin Luther King Jr., "I Have a Dream" speech, August 28, 1963 - Note: While the original speech uses "black" and "white," the spirit of inclusivity often extends to all "brown" people in common interpretations of its message. This is a metaphorical inclusion based on common usage of the term "brown people" in modern discourse on race and diversity.)
"The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page. And that page is usually brown and boring." (Based on a quote by Saint Augustine, adapted for humor)
"If you want to make a pie from scratch, you must first invent the universe. Then, you need to find some brown sugar." (Carl Sagan, often misattributed as a direct quote, but a humorous play on his scientific approach to cooking)
"Her eyes were the color of rich, warm brown earth after a spring rain." (Descriptive literary phrase, common in romantic fiction)
"He was a brown study, lost in thought, oblivious to the world around him." (Idiom meaning deep in thought or reverie, from Shakespeare's time)
"Life is like a box of chocolates... you never know what you're gonna get. Some are dark, some are light, and some are just plain brown." (A playful twist on the famous quote from Forrest Gump)
"The best thing one can do when it's raining is to let it rain. And maybe have a warm cup of brown tea." (Similar in sentiment to a quote by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, adapted)
"You see, there are two kinds of people in the world, those with a gun, and those who dig. You dig. And you better dig for that brown gold." (Inspired by The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, referencing something valuable, often gold or a similar commodity that might be "brown" in color or context)
"The path to success is rarely paved in gold; more often, it's a winding, sometimes muddy, brown road." (Original metaphorical quote)
Etymology
The word "brown" has a long history, tracing its roots back to ancient Germanic languages.
Its journey begins in Proto-Germanic, a very old language that's the ancestor of English, German, Dutch, and others. Here, the word was likely something like brunaz. Interestingly, this word didn't just mean "brown" as a color, but also had a sense of being "dark" and even "glistening" or "shining." Think of something polished and dark, like a burnished piece of metal – the connection to "burnish" (to polish something until it shines) actually comes from the same root!
When we move to Old English (the language spoken in England before the Norman Conquest in 1066), the word became brūn. At this point, it still carried the meaning of being "dark" or "dusky."
It wasn't until around the 13th century (in the Middle Ages) that "brown" started to specifically mean the color we know today, that mix of red, yellow, and blue often found in earth and wood. One of the earliest written examples of "brown" used distinctly as a color to describe something like "nut brown" hair appears around this time.
So, in simple terms: "brown" started as a word meaning "dark" and "shining" in ancient Germanic, evolved into "dark" in Old English, and then, around the 13th century, really settled into its current meaning as a specific color.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Brown
Brown study: A state of deep thought or reverie.
Brown-nose: To flatter someone excessively, often to gain favor.
Brown out: To experience a partial loss of electrical power.
Brownie points: Imaginary credits given for doing something good or helpful, often to curry favor.
Brown bag it: To bring one's own packed lunch to work or school instead of buying food.
To be browned off: (British informal) To be annoyed or fed up.
Brown sugar: A type of sugar that has a characteristic brown color due to the presence of molasses.
To brown someone off: (British informal) To annoy or exasperate someone.
Brownian motion: The random movement of particles in a fluid or gas, caused by collisions with other atoms or molecules. (Scientific term, but commonly recognized)
In the brown of winter: Referring to the dull, earthy colors of nature in winter, as opposed to vibrant green. (Lesser-known, descriptive)
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of brown from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
