Definition

1. Noun:
   • A square or bar of very rich chocolate cake, usually containing nuts: A small, dense, chocolate dessert, often baked in a pan and cut into individual portions.
   • (Folklore) A benevolent elf or fairy that is somewhat mischievous: A mythical, helpful household spirit in folklore, said to perform helpful tasks at night.
   • A junior Girl Scout: A member of a junior level of the Girl Scouts organization, typically for girls aged 5 to 10 (in some countries, like the UK, Brownies are part of the Girlguiding organization for girls aged 7 to 10).

Examples

• Noun (Dessert):
  • She baked a pan of fudgy brownies for the school bake sale.
  • Would you like a walnut brownie with your coffee?
• Noun (Folklore):
  • The old tale says a brownie lives in the mill and mends tools for the miller.
  • If you leave a bowl of cream out, a brownie might come and clean your kitchen.
• Noun (Girl Scout):
  • My daughter just became a Brownie and loves earning badges.
  • The Brownie troop went on a nature hike last weekend.

Advanced Usage

• "brownie points" (idiomatic, informal): Imaginary credit for doing something good or pleasing someone, especially an authority figure.
  • I brought donuts for the team to earn some brownie points with my boss.

Variants and Related Words

• Brownie (capitalized): Specifically refers to the Girl Scout/Girlguiding member.
• Brownie camera: A brand of simple, box cameras popular in the 20th century (a proprietary name, not a direct variant of the word's core meanings).

Synonyms

• Dessert meaning: Chocolate square, fudge square, blondie (for a vanilla version).
• Folklore meaning: Hob, hobgoblin, elf, pixie (though these have nuanced differences).
• Scout meaning: Junior Girl Scout, Girlguiding member (specific to organization).

Related Phrases

• "brownie troop": The local group or unit of Brownies (Girl Scouts).
  • The brownie troop meets every Tuesday in the church hall.

Related Idioms

• "to earn/get brownie points": To gain favor or approval through a helpful or sycophantic act.
  • He washed his mom's car, hoping to get brownie points before asking to borrow it.

Noun

1. square or bar of very rich chocolate cake usually with nuts
2. (folklore) fairies that are somewhat mischievous
3. a junior Girl Scout