noun

brownstone

BROWN-stohn

Brownstone (noun) means a reddish-brown sandstone used as a building material. Example: “The old church was faced entirely in brownstone.”

noun

A reddish-brown sandstone used as a building material.

"The old church was faced entirely in brownstone."

A townhouse built from or faced with this stone, especially in New York City.

"They bought a brownstone in Brooklyn and spent a year renovating it."

How to use brownstone

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA type of reddish-brown building stone, or a townhouse made from it, especially in New York.

Common pairings

a Brooklyn brownstone brownstone facade

Word forms

brownstoned past tense, brownstones plural, brownstones singular

Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.

Test yourself on “brownstone” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

The old church was faced entirely in _____.

Etymology

A straightforward compound of "brown" and "stone", describing both the material and, later, the houses built from it.

Rhymes for brownstone

one bone done gone none tone lone hone cone zone stone phone

See all rhymes for brownstone →

Frequently asked questions

What does “brownstone” mean?

The word “brownstone” means a reddish-brown sandstone used as a building material. In plain terms, a type of reddish-brown building stone, or a townhouse made from it, especially in New York.

How do you pronounce “brownstone”?

“Brownstone” is pronounced BROWN-stohn (/ˈbɹaʊnˌstoʊn/ in IPA).

How do you use “brownstone” in a sentence?

Here is “brownstone” used in a sentence: “The old church was faced entirely in brownstone.”

What part of speech is “brownstone”?

“Brownstone” is a noun.

How many meanings does “brownstone” have?

“Brownstone” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a reddish-brown sandstone used as a building material.