brown

IPA/braʊn/
KK[brˈaʊn]IPA/braʊn/

brown — adjective

  • brownpositive
  • brownercomparative
  • brownestsuperlative

1. having a dark colour that is a mix of red, yellow, and black — the colour you se

1.adjectiveA2
Definition

having a dark colour that is a mix of red, yellow, and black — the colour you see in chocolate, coffee beans, tree bark, or soil.

Example

Aoi put on a pair of brown leather shoes to go with her skirt.

brown + noun (leather shoes)

The autumn leaves turned from green to a deep brown before falling to the ground.

Common collocations
  • brown + noun (hair / eyes / leather / shoes / paper / bread / rice / sugar)
  • turn brown
  • go brown
  • deep brown
  • warm brown
  • dark / light brown
Synonyms
  • tan

    lighter; a pale brown like leather

  • chocolate

    a rich, dark brown like chocolate bars

  • coffee-coloured

    a medium brown like brewed coffee

  • umber

    a darker, earthy brown; less common

Antonyms
  • white

    the opposite end of the lightness scale

  • pale

    lacking colour or depth

Grammar Patterns

brown + noun

be + brown

Usage Note

Attributive use (before a noun) is the most common pattern: brown hair, brown eyes, brown shoes. In predicative position, it often follows verbs of change like turn, go, or become.

Common Mistakes

She has brownish hair' (when you mean standard brown).
She has brown hair.
'brownish' means 'slightly brown' or 'almost brown', not a regular brown colour.

2. used to talk about people with naturally brown skin, especially those whose fami

2.adjectiveB2
Definition

used to talk about people with naturally brown skin, especially those whose family origins are in South Asia, the Middle East, or Latin America; this word can describe a shared cultural or ethnic identity.

Example

The festival celebrated the music and food of Brown communities across the country.

capitalised Brown as cultural identity

Yael's school has students from many backgrounds, including Black, White, and Brown children.

used alongside other ethnic-group labels

Common collocations
  • Brown + community / person / family / population / student

Grammar Patterns

brown + noun (person / community / population)

Usage Note

When capitalised (Brown), the word functions as a proper adjective for a broad ethnic or cultural identity. The term is used differently across regions — in the UK it commonly refers to South Asian communities, while in the US it often describes Latinx communities. Always use with sensitivity to context.

Common Mistakes

He is a brown person from India.
He is from India.
describing someone's nationality or origin is more precise and respectful than using 'brown' as a standalone label unless the context calls for it.

brown — noun

brown — verb

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All five words describe shades of brown, but they differ in lightness and context. 'Tan' is a light, yellowish brown — the colour of sun-kissed skin or pale leather. 'Chocolate' is a rich, dark brown that people easily visualise because of the food. 'Coffee-coloured' is less common but useful for a medium brown with a slightly warmer tone. 'Umber' is an earthy, dark brown used mainly in art and design. 'Bronze' describes a metallic brown with golden highlights. For everyday description, 'tan' and 'chocolate' are the most widely understood. For example: 'We painted the kitchen a warm tan,' but 'she wore a chocolate-brown coat.'

tan ↗chocolate ↗coffee-colouredumber ↗bronze ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • a shade of brown
  • shades of brown
  • brown and serve
  • brown sugar

Prepositions

Etymology

GermanicOld EnglishEnglish

Brown comes from the Old English word 'brūn', meaning 'dark, shining, dusky'. It is related to similar words in other Germanic languages, such as German 'braun' and Dutch 'bruin'. The meaning as a colour name has been part of English since around the 12th century.

First known use

14th century

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