ruddy

American  

[ruhd-ee] / ˈrʌd i /

adjective

ruddier, ruddiest

1. of or having a fresh, healthy red color.

   a ruddy complexion.

2. red or reddish.

3. British Slang. damned.

   a ruddy fool.

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adverb

1. British Slang. damned.

   He'd ruddy well better be there.

ruddy British  

/ ˈrʌdɪ /

adjective

1. (of the complexion) having a healthy reddish colour, usually resulting from an outdoor life

2. coloured red or pink

   a ruddy sky

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adverb

1. (intensifier) bloody; damned

   a ruddy fool

Other Word Forms

• ruddily adverb
• ruddiness noun

Etymology

Origin of ruddy

before 1100; Middle English rudi, Old English rudig. See rudd, -y ¹

Example Sentences

Tracing lipstick’s ruddy arc across the years, we can see how wildly its meanings diverge.

From Salon • Feb. 19, 2026

Training her sights on a ruddy Sean Penn, Glaser remarked on Hollywood’s obsession with looking younger.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 12, 2026

That makes “Folktales” decidedly more powdery than densely packed — it’s all ruddy cheeks, slo-mo camaraderie and the healing power of steering a dog sled through breathtaking terrain.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 1, 2025

Approximately 300 million radio listeners tuned in to hear live sporting news from Berlin, and the film cuts to what feels like all of them rooting on these tall, ruddy and heroic amateurs.

From New York Times • Dec. 24, 2023

I can hear every ruddy last one of them.

From "The Knife of Never Letting Go" by Patrick Ness