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
1
A reddish-brown sandstone used as a building material.
"The old church was faced entirely in brownstone."
2
A townhouse built from or faced with this stone, especially in New York City.
"They emerge from the car to face a pair of brownstones, stately narrow things, which seem to have been similarly renovated and decorated."
— N. K. Jemisin, The City We Became (2020)
"They bought a brownstone in Brooklyn and spent a year renovating it."
"Lived in a brownstone, lived in the ghetto, I’ve lived all over this town."
— Talking Heads, Life During Wartime (1979)
"Did I mention he lives in a fantastic, expensive-looking brownstone? Did I mention that he’s a published novelist? Did I mention that he’s an involved, attentive father?"
— James Poniewozik, Review: The Affair: More Than Meets the (2014)
How to use brownstone
Learner’s notesIn 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
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Word forms
- Plural
- brownstones
- Third person singular
- brownstones
- Past tense
- brownstoned
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
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.
