auburn

1 of 2

adjective

au·​burn ˈȯ-bərn 

1

: of the color auburn

2

: of a reddish-brown color

auburn

2 of 2

noun

: a moderate brown

Examples of auburn in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Lyonne has been rocking her longer auburn red hair and bangs during recent red carpet appearances. — Lara Walsh, InStyle, 22 June 2026

Mary-Kate, on the other hand, let her side bangs do their thing, while the rest of her auburn hair mingled around her. — Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 12 June 2026

Noun

Agents of the king found the auburn-haired soldier illuminated by an iron lantern, waiting patiently in the damp basement with a box of matches. — Literary Hub, 5 Nov. 2026

But with just a step to her other side or a shake of her head on stage, the near-auburn shade moves to the forefront, with dimensional pieces of golden blonde poking through. — Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 30 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English auborne blond, from Middle French, from Medieval Latin alburnus whitish, from Latin alburnum sapwood

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1613, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

auburn

adjective

au·​burn

ˈȯ-bərn

: of a reddish brown color

auburn hair

Geographical Definition

Auburn

geographical name

Au·​burn ˈȯ-bərn 

1

city in eastern Alabama

Note: Auburn University is located in Auburn, Alabama.

2

city on the Androscoggin River in southwestern Maine

3

city in central New York

4

city east-northeast of Tacoma in western Washington