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• auburn
  auburn

  noun

  a reddish-brown or golden-brown color.
• Auburn
  Auburn

  noun

  a city in central New York: state prison.

auburn

¹ American  

[aw-bern] / ˈɔ bərn /

noun

1. a reddish-brown or golden-brown color.

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adjective

1. having auburn color.

   auburn hair.

Auburn ² American  

[aw-bern] / ˈɔ bərn /

noun

1. a city in central New York: state prison.

2. a city in E Alabama.

3. a city in W central Washington.

4. a city in SW Maine, on the Androscoggin River.

5. a city in central Massachusetts.

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auburn British  

/ ˈɔːbən /

noun

1. 1. a moderate reddish-brown colour

   2. ( as adjective )

      auburn hair

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Etymology

Origin of auburn

1400–50; late Middle English abo ( u ) rne blond < Middle French, Old French auborne, alborne < Latin alburnus whitish. See alburnum

Explanation

Auburn is a reddish-brown color. If you ask a hairdresser to color your hair auburn, you'll be disappointed to end up with bright red curls. Auburn almost always describes hair color — you might talk about your favorite childhood doll's long auburn hair, for example. The earliest meaning of auburn was "yellowish-white," not "reddish-brown," from the Medieval Latin alburnus, "off-white" or "whitish," from the Latin albus, or "white." In the 16th century it was influenced by the Middle English word brun, "brown," and the meaning changed.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

auburn Auburn

The Magdalene’s cascading auburn hair, which she fingers delicately, seems to have influenced the palette of the entire painting, from her glowing near-golden gown to her dull taupe scarf.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 17, 2026

Dressed in an auburn zipper sweater, he said not a word, expertly tilting his head this way, that way, profile, straight-ahead.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 22, 2025

According to that entry, the woman was thought to be 5-foot-5 with red or auburn hair.

From Seattle Times ● Jun. 14, 2023

Martin's long, auburn curls fell out, and her memory was slipping.

From Salon ● Feb. 28, 2023

Annabelle can see her, with her lovely auburn hair and her smile, sitting in her warm office with the leather couch and soft pillows and Kleenex box.

From "A Heart in a Body in the World" by Deb Caletti

“They were like, ‘He’s not available for any questions,’” recalled Eves, a longtime Apple fan and an Auburn engineering student at the time.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 29, 2026

Cook’s fondness for his alma mater Auburn University, where he earned a degree in industrial engineering, periodically brings him back to campus for special events or football games.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 29, 2026

The Rams selected Hunter in the fourth round of the 2025 draft, envisioning the former Auburn standout as a breakaway threat.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026

Upon taking over from Tavares in 2025, Filosa convened a series of strategy meetings at U.S. headquarters in Auburn Hills, Mich., just outside Detroit.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026

The folk in Auburn said Harriet had married him in order to take care of him, that even though he was a big, handsome, young man, he had tuberculosis.

From "Harriet Tubman: Conductor on the Underground Railroad" by Ann Petry