Dictionary

brunette en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio
• /bɹuːˈnɛt/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /bɹuˈnɛt/ (General-American)

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *bʰerH-? Proto-Germanic *brūnaz Frankish *brūnbor. Old French brun Proto-Indo-European *-tós Proto-Italic *-tosder.? Late Latin -ittus Old French -et Old French brunet Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂ Proto-Italic *-ā Latin -am Old French -e Old French brunete French brunettebor. English brunette Borrowed from French brunette, the feminine form of brunet, from brun (“brown”). Doublet of burnet.

Meanings

1. (especially, not-comparable, of a woman, of hair) Of a brown color or tone.
2. (dated, especially, not-comparable, of a woman, of hair, qualifier:strictly) Of a brown color or tone. ▸ Of a dark brown color or tone.
   • 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:
   • 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:
3. (especially, feminine, not-comparable, of a person) Having brown hair.
4. (dated, especially, feminine, not-comparable, of a person, qualifier:strictly) Having brown hair. ▸ Having dark 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:
   • 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:

Forms

Coordinates

brownette · brownette

Deriveds

bronde · brunetteness · -ette

Synonyms

brune · brune

Translations (41)

es moreno (having brown hair) · lv tumšmatains (having brown hair) · nb mørkhåra (having brown hair) · pl ciemnowłosy (having brown hair) · bg тъмноко́с (having brown hair) · it castana scura (having brown hair) · it bruna (having brown hair) · it castana (having brown hair) · tl pulahang buhok (having brown hair) · el καστανός (having brown hair) · fi ruskeaverikkö (having brown hair) · es castaño (having brown hair) · ga donn donnchiabhach (having brown hair) · nl brunette (having brown hair) · tr esmer (having brown hair) · de brünett (having brown hair) · mk црнокос (having brown hair) · ar سمراء (having brown hair) · nn mørkhåra (having brown hair) · pt morena (having brown hair) · fr brun (having brown hair) · mk темнокос (having brown hair) · da mørkhåret (having brown hair) · gd donn (having brown hair) · cmn 棕髮 /棕发 (having brown hair) · pl szatynowy (having brown hair) · nb mørkhåret (having brown hair) · sv brunett (having brown hair) · nl brunet (having brown hair) · ar امرأَة ذات شعر بني أو أسود (having brown hair) · ca bru (having brown hair) · sv mörkhårig (having brown hair) · fi tumma (having brown hair) · ru темноволо́сый (having brown hair) · az qaraşın (having brown hair) · et brünett (having brown hair) · ro brunetă (having brown hair) · yi ברונעט (having brown hair) · gl moreno (having brown hair) · az qarasaç (having brown hair) · pt de/com cabelo castanho (having brown hair)

brunette en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio
• /bɹuːˈnɛt/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /bɹuˈnɛt/ (General-American)

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *bʰerH-? Proto-Germanic *brūnaz Frankish *brūnbor. Old French brun Proto-Indo-European *-tós Proto-Italic *-tosder.? Late Latin -ittus Old French -et Old French brunet Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂ Proto-Italic *-ā Latin -am Old French -e Old French brunete French brunettebor. English brunette Borrowed from French brunette, the feminine form of brunet, from brun (“brown”). Doublet of burnet.

Meanings

1. A person, especially female, with brown hair.
   • And M. [Henri-François-Alphonse] Esquiros, in describing the Dutch generally, speaks of beauties both blondes and brunettes, ‘for black hair is not uncommon in the Netherlands.’ These words seem to imply that black hair does not preponderate; and, if not, there must be a marked difference between the Dutch and the English. Here again is confirmation of the opinion that the modern English are somewhat more dark-haired than the ancient Saxons. 1866, Luke Owen Pike, “The Evidence of Physical Characteristics”, in The English and Their Origin. A Prologue to Authentic English History., London: Longmans, Green, and Co., pages 145–146:
   • The housekeeper, a very decorative brunette of thirty-five with a pseudo-English accent, greeted him with a mixture of grateful effusion and condescending patronage. 1946, William Hatfield, Buffalo Jim, Oxford: Geoffrey Cumberlege, page 70:
   • Brownheads or brunettes use a darker red than blondes and redheads. 2020, Eleanore King, Glorify Yourself:
2. (dated, qualifier:strictly) A person, especially female, with brown hair. ▸ A person, especially female, with dark brown hair.
   • The models were very attractive indeed (blondes, brunettes, brownettes but no redettes) but on the slim side. 1960 January 21, John Robinson, “In This Corner”, in The Hamilton Spectator, home edition, volume CXV, number 17, Hamilton, Ont., →ISSN, →OCLC, page 31, column 6:
   • I’m thankful for brunettes. And brownettes. And redettes. And blondettes. 1965 November 25, Furman Bisher, “I’m Thankful”, in The Atlanta Journal and The Atlanta Constitution, final edition, volume 16, number 27, Atlanta, Ga., →ISSN, →OCLC, page 2-D, column 1:
   • FOR THE BLONDE. . . […] FOR THE BROWNETTE. . . […] FOR THE REDETTE. . . […] FOR THE BRUNETTE. . . whose coloring is accented with nationally known Barbara Gould beauty aids— […] 1947 September 5, “Sears”, in The Kansas City Star, main edition, volume 67, number 336, Kansas City, Mo., →ISSN, →OCLC, page 18, column 6:

Forms

Coordinates

brownette

Deriveds

bronde · bluenette · -ette

Relateds

blonde · noirette

Synonyms

brune · brune

Translations (44)

mk ка́леша (a person, especially female, with brown hair) · pl brunetka (a person, especially female, with brown hair) · uk брюне́т (a person, especially female, with brown hair) · de Brünetter (a person, especially female, with brown hair) · et brünett (a person, especially female, with brown hair) · yi ברונעט (a person, especially female, with brown hair) · ar سَمْرَاء (a person, especially female, with brown hair) · nl brunette (a person, especially female, with brown hair) · da brunette (a person, especially female, with brown hair) · he ברונטית (a person, especially female, with brown hair) · lv brunets (a person, especially female, with brown hair) · de Brünette (a person, especially female, with brown hair) · ga bean dhonn (a person, especially female, with brown hair) · sk bruneta (a person, especially female, with brown hair) · lv tumšmatis (a person, especially female, with brown hair) · sk brunet (a person, especially female, with brown hair) · bg брюне́т (a person, especially female, with brown hair) · es morena (a person, especially female, with brown hair) · fr brun (a person, especially female, with brown hair) · io brunetino (a person, especially female, with brown hair) · cs bruneta (a person, especially female, with brown hair) · es castaña (a person, especially female, with brown hair) · yi ברונעטין (a person, especially female, with brown hair) · tr esmer (a person, especially female, with brown hair) · lv brunete (a person, especially female, with brown hair) · pl bruneta (a person, especially female, with brown hair) · pl brunet (a person, especially female, with brown hair) · ru шате́н m шате́нка (a person, especially female, with brown hair) · es castaño (a person, especially female, with brown hair) · fr brune (a person, especially female, with brown hair) · sv brunett (a person, especially female, with brown hair) · mk брине́та (a person, especially female, with brown hair) · fi tummaverikkö (a person, especially female, with brown hair) · nn brunette (a person, especially female, with brown hair) · el καστανή (a person, especially female, with brown hair) · ga cailín donn (a person, especially female, with brown hair) · nb brunette (a person, especially female, with brown hair) · yi ברונעטקע (a person, especially female, with brown hair) · uk брюне́тка (a person, especially female, with brown hair) · pt morena (a person, especially female, with brown hair) · es moreno (a person, especially female, with brown hair) · bg брюне́тка (a person, especially female, with brown hair) · sk brunetka (a person, especially female, with brown hair) · lv tumšmate (a person, especially female, with brown hair)