rufous

American

[roo-fuhs] / ˈru fəs /

adjective

reddish; tinged with red; brownish red.

rufous British

/ ˈruːfəs /

adjective

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.

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 • Feb. 19, 2024

If you love artisan bread, don’t miss checking out Rufous.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 23, 2022

Rufous, trust-gobbling Mr. Odium first dickered with Banker Glore for Continental Chicago, was turned down flat.

From Time Magazine Archive

Rufous means reddish-brown, and he gets that name because of the color of his coat.

From The Burgess Animal Book for Children by Burgess, Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo)

And it is in those great trees that the Rufous Tree Mouse lives.

From The Burgess Animal Book for Children by Burgess, Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo)

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023