Where does “brownface” come from?

brownface (English) comes from English Brown, from Middle English broun, from Old English Brūn, from Proto-Germanic brūnaz, from Proto-Indo-European bʰerH- — to pierce; to strike; brown.

brownface (English): A style of theatrical makeup in which a white...

Definitions

  1. A style of theatrical makeup in which a white...

Ancestry of “brownface”, step by step

brownface traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English Brown

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishBrownAlternative letter-case form of brown
2Middle Englishbroundark, dull, murky; brown; brown-haired
3Old EnglishBrūnbrown
4Proto-Germanicbrūnazbrown
5Proto-Indo-EuropeanbʰerH-to pierce; to strike; brown

via English face

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishfaceThe front part of the head of a human or other...
2Middle Englishfaceface; Alternative form of fass
3Old Frenchfaceface
4Late Latinfacia—
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰerH- →