# brunette

/bɹuˈnɛt/ (US) · /bɹʌnˈɛt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/brunette
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. a person with brown hair

noun · CEFR B1

a person, especially a woman, with dark brown hair.

For teachers: a person, most commonly a woman or girl, who has dark brown hair.

- The actress is a natural brunette, but she dyed her hair blonde for the movie.
- The casting director specified that they were looking for a brunette to play the lead role to contrast with the other characters.

Usage: In traditional usage, the spelling 'brunette' is feminine and 'brunet' is masculine, though the feminine spelling is now frequently used for all genders.

Teaching tip: While the word is common, some modern speakers prefer simply saying 'brown-haired' to avoid the gendered history of the term.

### 2. having brown hair

adjective · CEFR B1

having dark brown hair.

For teachers: describing a person who has dark brown hair.

- She has long, brunette hair that shines in the sun.
- The portrait depicted a young woman with striking brunette features and deep green eyes.

Usage: Usually placed before the noun it describes.

## Examples

- She is a tall brunette with bright eyes.
- The casting director asked for one blonde and one brunette for the commercial.
- In the painting, the brunette stands in shadow, her dark hair blending with the night sky.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.