Burgundy
Americannoun
plural
Burgundies-
French Bourgogne. a region in central France: a former kingdom, duchy, and province.
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any of various wines, red and white, mostly still, full, and dry, produced in the Burgundy region.
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(often lowercase) any of various red wines with similar characteristics made elsewhere.
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(lowercase) a grayish red-brown to dark blackish-purple color.
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Also called Burgundy sauce. a sauce made with red wine and thickened with an espagnole sauce or kneaded butter, served with eggs, meat, fish, or poultry.
adjective
noun
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French name: Bourgogne. a region of E France famous for its wines, lying west of the Saône: formerly a semi-independent duchy; annexed to France in 1482
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another name for Franche-Comté
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a monarchy (1384–1477) of medieval Europe, at its height including the Low Countries, the duchy of Burgundy, and Franche-Comté
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a kingdom in E France, established in the early 6th century ad , eventually including the later duchy of Burgundy, Franche-Comté, and the Kingdom of Provence: known as the Kingdom of Arles from the 13th century
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any red or white wine produced in the region of Burgundy, around Dijon
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any heavy red table wine
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(often not capital) a blackish-purple to purplish-red colour
Usage
What does Burgundy mean? Burgundy, sometimes misspelled Burgandy, is a region in France known for its production of fine wine, which is also called Burgundy. Based on the wine, burgundy (lowercase B) is also used as a term for a shade of dark red.
Explanation
The deep red, purplish color of red beets and the leaves of some Japanese maple trees is burgundy. The burgundy color that the leaves of many pin oak trees turn in autumn is particularly stunning. Your sofa might be upholstered in burgundy velvet, and your favorite shoes might be made of shiny burgundy leather. In both cases, the color is such a deep red that it's nearly purple, or even black. The color known as burgundy comes from the wine of the same name, a dark, dry red wine that's traditionally made from grapes grown in and around Burgundy, France.
Vocabulary lists containing burgundy
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.
It has steadily built a following in the United States, earning a reputation as a quintessential quality French white alongside others from Burgundy.
From Barron's • Jan. 6, 2026
Burgundy wine, beef demi-glace, sage and thyme complement the sweetness of the onions in this rich gravy.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 15, 2025
The Hospices has vineyard holdings all over Burgundy, and a wine auction held there each November raises funds for a variety of charitable causes, including the town’s modern hospital.
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 2, 2025
They are stable-ish, but only if treated with the delicacy of a fine Burgundy.
From Salon • Jun. 26, 2025
Life imitating art, art imitating life; I really get those two confused, sort of like I can never remember if claret is Bordeaux wine or Burgundy.
From "The Princess Bride" by William Goldman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
