ruby

1 of 2

noun

ru·​by ˈrü-bē How to pronounce ruby (audio)
plural rubies
1
a
: a precious stone that is a red corundum
b
: something (such as a watch bearing) made of ruby
2
a
: the dark red color of the ruby
b
: something resembling a ruby in color

ruby

2 of 2

adjective

: of the color ruby

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The ring has a blue octagonal sapphire in a gold setting overlaid with five rubies forming a cross representing the cross of St. George seen in the English flag. Leila Sackur, NBC News, 6 May 2023 The crown contains 444 precious and semi-precious gemstones including rubies, sapphires and amethysts. K.j. Yossman, Variety, 6 May 2023 Coronation rings will have sapphire, diamonds, rubies With fancy crowns come even fancier rings, rods and scepters that Charles and Camilla will hold and wear during the ceremony. Elise Brisco, USA TODAY, 3 May 2023 The 2019 Dairyman Vineyard Pinot Noir is ruby colored and has aromas of freshly ground white pepper, dark cherry, and pomegranate. Mike Desimone And Jeff Jenssen, Robb Report, 2 May 2023 Other details include three stars on the bottom of the ring, and three stones on each side for the team’s three championships, which are joined by two ruby stones for the team’s two NWSL shields (2016, 2021). oregonlive, 1 May 2023 Garland, who famously played Dorothy Gale in the classic 1939 film, wore several pairs of ruby slippers during production, four of which have survived. Shania Russell And Oliver Gettell, EW.com, 18 May 2023 There were even a few glimpses in Wednesday’s footage of those ruby red slippers and that infamously lethal bucket of water. Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 26 Apr. 2023 The sceptre is also decorated with rubies, emeralds and sapphires. Lynsey Eidell, Peoplemag, 25 Apr. 2023
Adjective
Trump won Missouri by 18.5 percentage points and 15.4 percentage points in 2016 and 2020, respectively, solidifying the state’s transformation from perennial bellwether to ruby-red bastion with a grassroots Republican base that is very supportive of the 45th president. David M. Drucker, Washington Examiner, 19 Apr. 2021 Unlike a lot of sodas out there, Top Note’s made with real ruby-red grapefruit juice, which gives it a vibrant hue. Jeanette Hurt, Forbes, 10 Feb. 2023 Manchin has held that seat since 2010, repeatedly defeating Republican candidates in what has become a ruby-red state. Sahil Kapur, NBC News, 1 Feb. 2023 As two chickens look on, the ruby-red slipper-shoe of a woman (Rosa) steps out the door. Vulture, 6 Jan. 2023 The ruby-red rectangle houses the wonderful fragrance, and is capped by a gold bar. Dallas News, 30 Nov. 2022 Next to the ruby-red Majorelle bar, L’Asiatique restaurant, with its Ming Dynasty–style chairs and black lacquer tables, is a vision of Deco decadence. Cnt Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Dec. 2022 Chung says that the restaurant remained takeout-only throughout the pandemic and never reinstated dine-in service, despite its roomy ruby-red booths. Kara Baskin, BostonGlobe.com, 12 Dec. 2022 There's no way the delicate ribbed details and ruby-red color could be considered ugly. Alyssa Grabinski, Peoplemag, 23 Dec. 2022 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ruby.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Anglo-French rubi, rubin, from Medieval Latin rubinus, from Latin rubeus reddish; akin to Latin ruber red — more at red

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ruby was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near ruby

Cite this Entry

“Ruby.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ruby. Accessed 8 Jun. 2023.

Kids Definition

ruby

1 of 2 noun
ru·​by ˈrü-bē How to pronounce ruby (audio)
plural rubies
1
: a precious stone of a deep red color
2
: the dark red color of the ruby

ruby

2 of 2 adjective
: dark red in color
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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