Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com

rufous

American  
[roo-fuhs] / ˈru fəs /

adjective

  1. reddish; tinged with red; brownish red.


rufous British  
/ ˈruːfəs /

adjective

  1. reddish-brown

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of rufous

1775–85; < Latin rūf ( us ) red 1 + -ous

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

There are two variants of female cuckoos: a gray morph that looks like a sparrowhawk, and a rufous morph.

From Science Daily

"Then the advantage of the rufous morph comes into play, as it is less common and has not been learned by the hosts," says Wolf.

From Science Daily

Gabriel Chaile's artwork depicts the unique nest of the Rufous Hornero bird, a national emblem of Argentina, with the bird known for building homes on high surfaces such as light poles and monuments.

From BBC

“For their body size, hands down, the most aggressive bird is the rufous hummingbird.”

From Washington Post

We rarely get the rufous in the Washington area, but we do get its cousin, the ruby-throated hummingbird.

From Washington Post