rosy
adjective
pink or pinkish-red; roseate.
rosy
1 American
[roh-zee]
/ ˈroʊ zi /
adjective
rosier,
rosiest
-
pink or pinkish-red; roseate.
-
(of persons, the cheeks, lips, etc.) having a fresh, healthy redness.
- Antonyms:
- pale
-
bright or promising.
a rosy future.
- Antonyms:
- unpromising
-
cheerful or optimistic.
rosy anticipations.
- Antonyms:
- cheerless
-
made or consisting of roses.
a rosy bower.
Rosy
2
American
[roh-zee]
/ ˈroʊ zi /
noun
rosy
British
/ ˈrəʊzɪ /
adjective
-
of the colour rose or pink
-
having a healthy pink complexion
rosy cheeks
-
optimistic, esp excessively so
a rosy view of social improvements
-
full of health, happiness, or joy
rosy slumbers
-
resembling, consisting of, or abounding in roses
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Adjectives
Etymology
Origin of rosy
Middle English word dating back to 1325–75; see origin at rose 1, -y 1
Explanation
Use the adjective rosy to describe something that's healthy and pink, like a child's rosy cheeks or a rosy lipstick. A flushed face is rosy — it's the glowing pink color of a natural blush, and it implies good health. From this meaning comes the secondary one, "optimistic or lucky." If the future looks rosy to you, it appears that great things are going to happen, and if someone has a rosy nature, they're cheerful. Rosy is from rose and its Latin root, rosa.
Vocabulary lists containing rosy
Pink
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Excerpt from "The Little Mermaid"
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The World According to Humphrey
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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.
Adrian Aceves, a physician living in downtown Washington, said he'd be staying in with his five-year-old mutt Rosy, "trying to distract her with treats and toys, and I will medicate her."
From Barron's • Jul. 2, 2026
“Not only do they bear an uncanny resemblance, but Rosy has very similar qualities to Nicole,” Sarnoff says.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 11, 2026
In “Scarpetta,” premiering Wednesday, the forensic medical examiner is played by both Nicole Kidman and Rosy McEwen, who skillfully solve murder mysteries across two timelines.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 11, 2026
Rosy Whittemore, project curator at Cosgrove Hall Films Archive, added that "whatever age you are, you recognise something from your era".
From BBC • Jan. 16, 2026
Rosy did not give a hoot about the priority of the creation of the helical theory and, as Francis prattled on, she displayed increasing irritation.
From "Double Helix" by James D. Watson
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.
