rufous

[roo-fuhs]

adjective

1. reddish; tinged with red; brownish red.

rufous

/ ˈruːfəs /

adjective

1. reddish-brown

Word History and Origins

Origin of rufous¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of rufous¹

C18: from Latin rūfus

Example Sentences

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

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"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.

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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.

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

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

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