English Reference
noun · verb

eyebrow

n. · v.
US /ˈaɪˌbɹaʊ/ UK /ˈaɪbɹaʊ/ eye·brow UK spelling eyebrow's, eyebrow's

  1. 01 A2 Elementary

    n.the line of hair that grows on the bone above each of your eyes.

    n.the strip of hair growing on the ridge above the eye socket.

    Simple

    She raised one eyebrow to show she was surprised by the news.

    In context

    The actor's thick, expressive eyebrows allowed him to convey a range of emotions without speaking a single word.

  2. 02 C2 Proficiency Technical

    n.a small, curved window that sticks out from a sloping roof.

    n.a low, curved dormer window built into the slope of a roof, resembling the shape of a human eyebrow.

    Simple

    The old cottage had a charming eyebrow window in the attic.

    In context

    The architect specified an eyebrow dormer to provide ventilation to the loft while maintaining the fluid lines of the shingled roof.

    eyebrow dormer
  3. 03 C1 Advanced Literary

    v.to move your eyebrows to show someone what you are thinking.

    v.to communicate or signal meaning through the movement of the eyebrows.

    Simple

    He eyebrowed his friend to suggest it was time to leave the party.

    In context

    The two conspirators eyebrowed each other across the dinner table, silently confirming their plan without alerting the other guests.

    gesticulate

From Middle English eȝebreu, alteration of Old English ēaganbrū (“eyebrow”), equivalent to eye + brow. The corresponding Old English ēagbrǣw meant "eyelid". Compare Dutch oogbrauw (“eyelid; eyelash; eyebrow”), German Augenbraue (“eyebrow”).

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin Old English ēaganbrū
Level A2 · Elementary
Frequency Frequent
Updated