russet
Americannoun
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yellowish brown, light brown, or reddish brown.
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a coarse reddish-brown or brownish homespun cloth formerly used for clothing.
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any of various apples that have a rough brownish skin and ripen in the autumn.
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a brownish, roughened area on fruit, resulting from diseases, insects, or spraying.
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finished leather that is not yet polished or colored.
adjective
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yellowish-brown, light-brown, or reddish-brown.
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made of russet.
noun
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brown with a yellowish or reddish tinge
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a rough homespun fabric, reddish-brown in colour, formerly in use for clothing
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( as modifier )
a russet coat
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any of various apples with rough brownish-red skins
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abnormal roughness on fruit, caused by parasites, pesticides, or frost
adjective
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(of tanned hide leather) dressed ready for staining
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archaic simple; homely; rustic
a russet life
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of the colour russet
russet hair
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of russet
1225–75; Middle English < Old French rousset, diminutive of rous reddish brown, red (of hair); see roux
Explanation
Use the word russet to describe things that are a reddish-brown color, like autumn leaves or your cousin's pretty auburn hair. The adjective russet is great for talking about a particular color — in fact, the most common kind of Idaho potato is the Russet Burbank potato, named for its russet-colored skin. In apples, the word russet doesn't apply to color, but instead to a roughness in the skin. Another meaning of russet is a cheap, rough blanket worn in the Middle Ages by poor people. The root is the Latin word for "red," russus.
Vocabulary lists containing russet
Brown
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"After Apple-Picking" by Robert Frost
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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.
But for some, the true treat will turn out to be the classic oval or oblong-shaped russet spud, good for baking, frying or just plain admiring.
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 30, 2025
Continued warm weather meant autumn came late this year, but it brought an explosion of colour with some spectacular displays ranging from gold through to russet red, like here on the Wallington Estate in Northumberland.
From BBC • Dec. 26, 2024
His pumpkins appear to be snarling or wailing, and often have bulging eyeballs that he scoops from russet potatoes using a melon baller.
From Seattle Times • Oct. 27, 2023
The crickets — which are about two inches long and have plump bodies — are turning brick homes, front lawns and beige sidewalks a darker shade of russet.
From New York Times • Jun. 18, 2023
As Pollard felt Seabiscuit’s hooves sink into the russet soil, he had reason to worry.
From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand
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.
