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

He, his wife, Ellen Ruggles, and their three young sons occupied a handsome brownstone on East 21st Street, overlooking Gramercy Park.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 23, 2026

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

From Slate • Sep. 12, 2024

In another iconic scene in said brownstone, Stern’s Marv is electrocuted.

From Los Angeles Times • May 20, 2024

He tipped his fur cap and leaned slightly on the bar of his postage cart as he rolled it away from the Vanderbeeker brownstone and down the street.

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