brownette en · ADJ
Etymology
From brown + -ette, after brunette. Coined by American businessman Max Factor in the late 1920s.
Meanings
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(dated, not-comparable) Especially of a woman: having light brown hair.
The survey asked for preferences in smoking and drinking, and whether they preferred blonde, brunette, or red-haired or brownette women as dates.
1940 February 28, “Rice Owl Conducts Survey on Preferences of Men Students”, in The Houston Chronicle, home edition, volume 39, number 138, Houston, Tex., →ISSN, →OCLC, section A, page 9, column 2:A slender, attractive 31-year-old brownette woman, represented by two court-appointed attorneys, went on trial in Judge Langston G. King’s court Wednesday for the July 22 slaying of her husband.
1953 October 14, “Wife Goes on Trial in Mate Killing”, in The Houston Chronicle, final edition, volume 53, number 1, Houston, Tex., →ISSN, →OCLC, section B, page 9, column 3:[Oscar] Coley would not reveal the information given him by a pretty brownette woman who returned to Phenix City from Aiken when she learned investigators wanted to question her.
1954 August 18, “Guardsmen Sure They Know Prostitution Ring Heads”, in The Columbus Ledger, volume 69, number 98, Columbus, Ga., →OCLC, page 1, column 5:MAX FACTOR ★ HOLLYWOOD has created these luxurious Gift Sets in Color Harmony shades for blonde, brownette, brunette or red-head types. Every woman is interested in the gift which will reveal her individual loveliness.
1940 December 7, “Gifts that will linger in Memory”, in The Australian Women’s Weekly, →ISSN, →OCLC, “The Movie World” section, page 29, column 3:And 70 per cent of American women are naturally brunette or brownette; […]
1962 June 14, Maureen Counihan, “There Is Nothing Lovelier Than Soft Brownette Hair”, in The Lexington Herald, volume 92, number 142, Lexington, Ky., →OCLC, page 42, column 7:
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(dated, not-comparable) Of hair, especially of a woman: light brown.
Frosting and Tipping of your hair is for winter hi-fashion. It adds hi-lights to any brunette or brownette hair, softens the looks and adds body to the hair.
1962 January 22, Betty Chason, “Vanity Fair”, in The News Tribune, volume 59, number 37, Fort Pierce, Fla., →OCLC, page 6, column 7:I originally had very dark brunette hair but I have been going gray for years. […] I have my hair colored brownette with blonde highlights.
1985 December 10, Emily Wilkens, quoting E.T., “A New You: Coloring over the gray roots prevents ‘bald spot’ problem”, in The Star-Ledger, final edition, volume 72, number 285, Newark, N.J., →OCLC, page 78, column 1:“Originally the part was written for a girl with long blond hair,” [Buford] Wright said. “Shannen [Doherty] has long brownette hair. So [Michael] Landon had the part rewritten for Shannen’s color.”
1981 October 2, John Knott, “Dixie Dialing / Child’s TV Debut Guaranteed Two Viewers”, in The Commercial Appeal, final edition, 142nd year, number 275, Memphis, Tenn.: Memphis Publishing Co., →ISSN, →OCLC, page 35, column 3:Hey, kiddies, Christopher Reeves,^([sic]) who has dark brunette locks whilst winging through the air as “Superman,” has light brownette hair in person.
1980 December 25, Cindy Adams, “Dr. [Joyce] Brothers moves; Tiny Tim’s new lady”, in The Sentinel-News, volume 40, number 93, Shelbyville, Ky., →OCLC, page 12-A, column 3:[Leslie] Blanchard recommends weaving threads of red or golden color throughout brown for brownette hair, to create that “blonde illusion” that is the news in haircolor today.
1980 June 12, Patricia Ferrara, “Cut and color most important in hair style”, in The Home News, New Brunswick, N.J., →OCLC, page 37, column 4: