brownstone

American  

[broun-stohn] / ˈbraʊnˌstoʊn /

noun

1. a reddish-brown sandstone, used extensively as a building material.

2. Also called brownstone front.  a building, especially a row house, fronted with this stone.

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adjective

1. Archaic. belonging or pertaining to the well-to-do class.

brownstone British  

/ ˈbraʊnˌstəʊn /

noun

1. a reddish-brown iron-rich sandstone used for building

2. a house built of or faced with this stone

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Etymology

Origin of brownstone

First recorded in 1830–40; brown + stone

Example Sentences

Davidson is understood to still have a home base in Brooklyn in the form of a brownstone rental.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 16, 2026

Black and openly gay, Hudson still lives in the Prospect Heights brownstone where she grew up.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 27, 2025

There are few votes for him in Manhattan, brownstone Brooklyn, western Queens, and anywhere with a professional class.

From Slate • Sep. 12, 2024

The crew, who knew each other from the first movie, delighted in taking turns throwing foam bricks off the roof of a dilapidated New York City brownstone in the middle of the night.

From Los Angeles Times • May 20, 2024

It was late January, and icicles hung from the brownstone eaves.

From "The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street" by Karina Yan Glaser