# Brownie points

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brownie-points/141782>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 10, 2002, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brownie-points/141782 "2002-12-10T16:50:56Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jlegg\_infowest.com](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/dbc845/32.png) [@jlegg\_infowest.com](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jlegg_infowest.com)\
**Post date:** [December 10, 2002, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brownie-points/141782/1 "2002-12-10T16:50:56Z")

</div>

What is the origin of the term “brownie points”  
Thank you,  
JL:confused:

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Sofa\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/58956e/32.png) [@Sofa\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sofa_King)\
**Post date:** [December 10, 2002, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brownie-points/141782/2 "2002-12-10T17:16:59Z")

</div>

Definition according to the [Dictionary of Slang](http://www.peevish.co.uk/slang/b.htm):

**brownie-point** Noun. A hypothetical award for achievement, usually given as a backhanded compliment for sycophantic behaviour.

And the following definition on that page is:

**brown-nose** Verb. To overly praise or behave sycophantically, i.e. to ‘arse-lick’.

I, ahem, suspect that the two terms are closely related.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![wolfstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d6d6ee/32.png) [@wolfstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfstu)\
**Post date:** [December 10, 2002, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brownie-points/141782/3 "2002-12-10T17:22:41Z")

</div>

Note to Posters:

This was Double-posted. The other thread is [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=149369).

IANAModerator, but I thought this would save people confusion and trouble.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\
**Post date:** [December 10, 2002, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brownie-points/141782/4 "2002-12-10T17:25:02Z")

</div>

A brownie is a mythical fairie or sprite that was believed to do some helpful chores while the mortals slept. Thus, if you perform unsolicited work for somebody, you are said to be vying for brownie points, or simply behaving in the manner of a brownie.

What the exact value of an individual brownie point is, I don’t know. Maybe they can be traded in, like Green Stamps.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![John\_Kentzel-Griffin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ccd318/32.png) [@John\_Kentzel-Griffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Kentzel-Griffin)\
**Post date:** [December 10, 2002, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brownie-points/141782/5 "2002-12-10T17:25:58Z")

</div>

I’ll close this thread and direct replies to the thread linked to by **wolfstu** above.

**DrMatrix** - General Questions Moderator