Dictionary

brown noser en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (Australia) audio

Etymology

A metaphorical image: when kissing the buttocks of another person, one's nose is liable to be covered in brown feces.

Meanings

1. (idiomatic) One who brownnoses (flatters or humors somebody in an obsequious manner for personal gain); one who sucks up; a bootlicker, dickrider, ass-kisser, sycophant.
   • I think some brownnoser here is after my job. 2025 October 31, Trey Parker, “The Woman in the Hat”, in South Park, season 28, episode 2, spoken by JD Vance:
   • “Unbelievable. Boimler's cozying up with those brownnosers to get out of trash day? Such a great call.” “More trash for the rest of us. I smell adventure.” 2021 September 16, John Cochran, “The Spy Humongous” (4:58 from the start), in Star Trek: Lower Decks, season 2, episode 6, spoken by Beckett Mariner (Tawny Newsome):
   • “W-wait, why isn't Gumball in here with us?” [Laszlo chuckles] “Because Guillermo is the only one out of all of you that has ever shown me any kindness.” “[coughs] Brownnoser.” “And yet you all treat him so shabbily that even after all this time of waiting to become one of you... he's force to give up and take matters into his own hands.” 2023 August 31, William Meny & Paul Simms, “A Weekend at Morrigan Manor” (19:48 from the start), in What We Do in the Shadows, season 5, episode 9, spoken by Colin Robinson (Mark Proksch):

Forms

Synonyms

brown-nose