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brown

(broun)

Any of a group of colors between red and yellow in hue that are medium to low in lightness and low to moderate in saturation.

adj. brown·er, brown·est

1. Of the color brown.

a. Having a brownish or dark skin color.

b. Often Offensive Of or being a person of nonwhite origin.

3. Deeply suntanned.

tr. & intr.v. browned, brown·ing, browns

1. To make or become brown.

2. To cook until brown.

Phrasal Verb:

brown off Chiefly British Slang

To make angry or irritated.

[Middle English, from Old English brūn; see bher-² in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

brownish adj.

brownness n.

Brown, Olympia 1835-1926.

American Universalist minister and suffragist who was the first woman in the United States to be ordained in the ministry of an established denomination (1863).

Brown, Margaret Wise 1910-1952.

American author of children's picture books, including The Noisy Book (1939) and Goodnight Moon (1947).

Brown, (James) Gordon Born 1951.

British politician who served as chancellor of the exchequer (1997-2007) and prime minister (2007-2010).

Brown, John 1800-1859.

American abolitionist. In 1859 Brown and 21 followers captured the US arsenal at Harper's Ferry as part of an effort to liberate Southern slaves. His group was defeated, and Brown was hanged after a trial in which he won sympathy as an abolitionist martyr.

Brown, James Nathaniel Known as "Jim." Born 1936.

American football player. A running back with the Cleveland Browns (1957-1965), he led the National Football League in rushing for eight of his nine seasons and is listed as one of the NFL all-time rushing leaders.

Brown, James 1933-2006.

American singer. After achieving popularity as a soul singer with hits like "Please, Please, Please," (1955), he went on to significantly influence the development of funk with songs such as "I Got You (I Feel Good)" (1965).

(click for a larger image)

James Brown

photographed c. 2004

Brown, Paul Eugene 1908-1991.

American football coach who introduced many innovations in training and game strategy. He led the Cleveland Browns, who were originally named in his honor, to three National Football League championships (1950, 1954, and 1955).

Brown, Clifford Known as "Brownie." 1930-1956.

American jazz trumpeter whose work, especially as a member of the quintet he formed with Max Roach (1954-1956), influenced jazz improvisation and bop styles.

Brown, Robert 1773-1858.

British botanist who made an extensive collection of plants during a voyage to Australia. His observation of the irregular movement of pollen grains suspended in water led to the concept known as Brownian motion.

Brown

(broun), Charles Brockden 1771-1810.

American writer and editor best known for his Gothic romances, such as Wieland (1798), Ormund (1799), and Jane Talbot (1801).

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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