Brunette vs. Blonde — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on September 21, 2023
Brunette refers to dark-colored hair; blonde denotes light-colored hair.
Difference Between Brunette and Blonde
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Brunette and blonde are terms predominantly used to describe hair colors, where brunette signifies dark shades, and blonde represents lighter tones. Brunette generally pertains to shades of brown or black hair, while blonde encompasses a range of light hues including platinum, golden, and strawberry blonde. Both words are descriptive, but they can also stereotype personalities, often innocuously, with brunettes perceived as serious and blondes as carefree.
Brunette and blonde serve as adjectives and nouns, illustrating their versatility in English usage. A brunette is a person with dark hair, and the word can also modify nouns, as in “brunette curls”. Similarly, a blonde is someone with light hair, and it can also describe objects with a light color, such as “blonde wood”.
The etymology of brunette and blonde traces back to French, where “brunette” is the diminutive of “brun”, meaning brown, and “blonde” is derived from “blond”, meaning fair or light. These words have been absorbed into English and are now ubiquitous in daily language, with “brunette” often referring to women, and “blonde” used for both genders, although “blond” is also used for men.
Usage of brunette and blonde often come with implications based on societal perceptions and stereotypes. Brunettes are sometimes viewed as more intellectual and responsible, while blondes are associated with being more outgoing and spontaneous. It’s crucial to remember that hair color doesn’t determine personality traits or intellectual capacity, as people are unique and diverse.
Comparison Chart
Color
Dark shades of hair color
Light shades of hair color
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Origin
From French “brunette”
From French “blonde”/“blond”
Gender Use
Mainly for females
For both males and females
Use in Sentence
“She has brunette locks.”
“He has blonde hair.”
Perception
Viewed as serious and responsible
Viewed as carefree and outgoing
Compare with Definitions
Brunette
Brunette signifies shades of brown or black hair.
Lisa’s brunette curls were shining in the sunlight.
Blonde
Blonde can depict both people with light hair and objects of light color.
John is a blonde who loves his blonde wood furniture.
Brunette
Brunette is a term used for people with dark-colored hair.
Sarah is a brunette with chestnut brown hair.
Blonde
Blonde serves as an adjective and a noun in English.
Mike, being a blonde, stands out in his family of brunettes.
Brunette
Brunette can serve as both an adjective and a noun in English.
Jane is a proud brunette who never dyed her hair.
Blonde
Blonde is derived from the French word “blond”, meaning fair or light.
The blonde child was curious about the origin of his hair color.
Brunette
Brunette often implies certain stereotypes such as being serious.
Despite being a brunette, Emily is the life of the party.
Blonde
Blonde is associated with being outgoing and spontaneous due to societal stereotypes.
Laura, a blonde, is actually very introverted and loves reading.
Brunette
Brunette originated from the French word “brunette”, a diminutive of “brun”.
Sue, a brunette, enjoys learning about the origin of words.
Blonde
Blonde refers to light-colored hair ranging from pale yellow to golden shades.
Mary is a natural blonde with golden locks.
Brunette
Having brown hair.
Blonde
(of hair) fair or pale yellow
Her long blonde hair
I had my hair dyed blonde
Brunette
A girl or woman with brown hair.
Blonde
A person with fair or pale yellow hair (typically used of a woman).
Brunette
(of hair, eyes, skin, etc.) Of a dark color or tone.
Blonde
Having fair hair and skin
Blond Scandinavians.
Brunette
(of a person) Having brown or black hair and, often, dark eyes and darkish or olive skin.
Blonde
Of a flaxen or golden color or of any light shade of auburn or pale yellowish brown
Blond hair.
Brunette
A person, especially female, with brown or black hair and, often, dark eyes and darkish or olive skin.
Blonde
Light-colored through bleaching
Blond furniture.
Brunette
A person with dark (brown) hair
Blonde
A person with fair hair and skin.
Brunette
Marked by dark or relatively dark pigmentation of hair or skin or eyes;
A brunette beauty
Blonde
A light yellowish brown to dark grayish yellow.
Blonde
Alternative form of blond
Blonde
Alternative form of blond.
Blonde
A kind of 2,000-watt lamp.
Blonde
Alternative form of blond
Blonde
Stupid, ignorant, naive.
Blonde
A person of very fair complexion, with light hair and light blue eyes.
Blonde
A kind of silk lace originally of the color of raw silk, now sometimes dyed; - called also blond lace.
Blonde
A person with fair skin and hair
Blonde
Being or having light colored skin and hair and usually blue or gray eyes;
Blond Scandinavians
A house full of light-haired children
Common Curiosities
What do brunette and blonde primarily describe?
Brunette and blonde primarily describe dark and light hair colors, respectively.
Can the word brunette refer to men?
While brunette is predominantly used for women, it can also refer to men with dark hair.
What is the origin of the words brunette and blonde?
Both words originated from French, with brunette from “brun”, meaning brown, and blonde from “blond”, meaning fair or light.
Can brunette and blonde describe colors other than hair?
Yes, they can describe any object’s color, such as brunette wood or blonde ale.
Can a person’s hair color change from brunette to blonde naturally?
Yes, hair color can lighten due to factors like sun exposure or age, making a brunette appear blonde.
Is it scientifically proven that brunettes are more serious than blondes?
No, there is no scientific basis for personality traits being linked to hair color.
Are the terms brunette and blonde gender-neutral?
Blonde is generally gender-neutral, while brunette is usually used for females.
Can brunette and blonde serve as both adjectives and nouns?
Yes, both brunette and blonde can serve as adjectives and nouns.
Are there stereotypes associated with brunettes and blondes?
Yes, brunettes are often stereotyped as serious and responsible, while blondes are seen as carefree and outgoing.
Is it crucial to be mindful when using the terms brunette and blonde due to the associated stereotypes?
Absolutely, it is important to be mindful and respectful, avoiding assumptions based on hair color.
Is the spelling “blond” correct?
Yes, “blond” is used for men, while “blonde” is used for women.
Do brunette and blonde have specific color shades?
Brunette refers to any dark shades, while blonde refers to any light shades of hair color.
Is brunette hair more common globally than blonde hair?
Yes, brunette hair is more commonly found globally compared to blonde hair.
Can the term blonde refer to very light shades of hair?
Yes, blonde can refer to a range of light shades including platinum blonde.
Can the use of the words brunette and blonde perpetuate stereotypes?
Yes, the use of these terms can unintentionally perpetuate stereotypes associated with hair color.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
