ruddy

rud·dy

adj \ˈrə-dē\

rud·di·errud·di·est

Definition of RUDDY

1

: having a healthy reddish color

2

: red, reddish

3

British —used as an intensive <bellowed like a ruddy bull when she wanted food — Doreen Tovey>

— rud·di·ly \ˈrə-d^əl-ē\ adverb

— rud·di·ness \ˈrə-dē-nəs\ noun

Examples of RUDDY

1. She has a ruddy face.
2. the ruddy surface of Mars

Origin of RUDDY

Middle English rudi, from Old English rudig, from rudu redness; akin to Old English rēad red — more at red

First Known Use: before 12th century

Related to RUDDY

Synonyms: blooming, florid, flush, full-blooded, glowing, red, rosy, rubicund, sanguine

Antonyms: ashen, ashy, doughy, livid, lurid, mealy, pale, paled, palish, pallid, pasty, peaked, peaky, sallow, sallowish, wan

Related Words: bronzed, brown, suntanned, tanned; bloomy, blowsy (also blowzy), blushing, flushed, pink, pinkish, warm; cherubic

Near Antonyms: waxen, waxy; blanched, white, whitened; anemic, sick, sickly; bloodless, cadaverous; whey-faced, white-faced

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Other Color Terms

argentine, cerise, cerulean, cyan, ocher, perse, puce, taupe, vermilion

Rhymes with RUDDY

bloody, buddy, cruddy, cuddy, duddie, muddy, study