brunette

UK: bruːˈnɛt | US: bruːˈnɛt

Definition

  1. n. a woman or girl with dark brown hair

  2. adj. having dark brown hair (typically used to describe women)

Structure
brun <dark brown>ette <feminine diminutive suffix>brun <dark brown>ette <feminine diminutive>
Etymology

The word brunette entered English in the 17th century from French, where brun (brown) combined with -ette to specify a feminine form. Originally describing hair color, it reflects the French tendency to gender nouns and adjectives. The Germanic root brūn underscores the shared linguistic heritage of color terms across European languages.

Examples

  1. She was a tall brunette with striking green eyes.

  2. The actress dyed her hair to play a brunette in the film.

  3. Brunette shades range from light chestnut to almost black.

  4. He preferred brunettes over blondes.

  5. The painting featured a young brunette in a red dress.