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noun Uncommon

Brownie

BROW-nee

Brownie (noun) means a small, dense, usually fudgy chocolate cake cut into squares. Example: “She baked a batch of brownies for the school fair.”

noun
1
A small, dense, usually fudgy chocolate cake cut into squares.
"She baked a batch of brownies for the school fair."
2
A junior member of the Girl Guides or Girl Scouts.
"Her daughter joined the local Brownies group at age seven."

How to use Brownie

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishEither a chocolate cake square, or (capitalised) a young Girl Scout/Guide.

Common pairings
chocolate brownie a batch of brownies

Word forms

Brownies plural

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Fill the gap

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She baked a batch of _____ for the school fair.

Etymology

The Girl Scout sense comes from an 1870 children's story about helpful, elf-like creatures called brownies; the cake sense arose separately in America around 1900, most likely just describing its brown colour.

· First attested 1870

Class of 1870 Brownie joined the language around 1870.
See the full Class of 1870 →

Related words

Rhymes for Brownie

See all rhymes for Brownie →

Frequently asked questions

What does “Brownie” mean?

The word “Brownie” means a small, dense, usually fudgy chocolate cake cut into squares. In plain terms, either a chocolate cake square, or (capitalised) a young Girl Scout/Guide.

How do you pronounce “Brownie”?

“Brownie” is pronounced BROW-nee (/ˈbɹaʊni/ in IPA).

How do you use “Brownie” in a sentence?

Here is “Brownie” used in a sentence: “She baked a batch of brownies for the school fair.”

What part of speech is “Brownie”?

“Brownie” is a noun.

Where does the word “Brownie” come from?

The word “Brownie” dates back to around 1870. The Girl Scout sense comes from an 1870 children's story about helpful, elf-like creatures called brownies; the cake sense arose separately in America around 1900, most likely just describing its brown colour.

Is “Brownie” a common word?

“Brownie” is an uncommon word in modern English.

How many meanings does “Brownie” have?

“Brownie” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a small, dense, usually fudgy chocolate cake cut into squares.

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Definitions: FreeDict original editorial