brownie

American  

[brou-nee] / ˈbraʊ ni /

noun

1. (in folklore) a tiny, fanciful, good-natured brown elf who secretly helps at night with household chores.

2. a small, chewy, cakelike cookie, usually made with chocolate and containing nuts.

3. Australian.  a bread with currants, baked in a camp oven.

4. Sometimes Brownie a member of the junior division of the Girl Scouts or the Girl Guides, being a girl in the 1st, 2nd, or 3rd grade and usually between six and eight years old.

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brownie ¹ British  

/ ˈbraʊnɪ /

noun

1. (in folklore) an elf said to do helpful work at night, esp household chores

2. a small square nutty chocolate cake

3. history a bread made with currants

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Brownie ² British  

/ ˈbraʊnɪ /

noun

1. another name for Brownie Guide

2. (formerly) a popular make of simple box camera

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Usage

What is a brownie? A brownie is a small, chewy chocolate cake-like dessert that often includes nuts, as in We loved Nana’s brownies so much that we begged her to make them for every party. In British folklore, a brownie is a tiny, brown elf that secretly assists with chores during the night, as in I once heard a fairy tale about a brownie who helped a cobbler clean his workshop.  Example: The first thing I learned to bake was brownies, and I still love to bake them.

Related Words

See fairy.

Etymology

Origin of brownie

First recorded in 1520–30; brown + -ie; in folkloric sense, originally Scots

Example Sentences

The Bodega Special, a rich, fudgy, deeply chocolatey cosmic brownie with powdered sugar ice cream that looks like mini donuts is a chocolate lover’s delight.

From Salon

The two leaders celebrated the “golden era” of the U.S.-Korean alliance with a special luncheon topped off with a “Peacemaker’s Dessert” with golden citrus and a gold-adorned brownie.

From The Wall Street Journal

The ones I’ve tried in the past have been tooth-achingly sweet or a little too dry or just made me crave a brownie instead.

From Salon

More than 1,000 items will be sold under the new label, Amazon said, including eggs, honey, potatoes, rice and brownies, with most priced under $5.

From The Wall Street Journal

They also offer pastries, like a chocolate chip brownie, sausage egg & cheese croissant and a banana yogurt loaf.

From Salon