Rufous
[ROO-fəs]
Part of speech: adjective
Origin: Latin, 18th century
1.
Reddish brown in color.
Examples of Rufous in a sentence
"The dog was a mutt, with rufous fur like a Saint Bernard and pointy ears like a German shepherd."
"The leaves of many trees in northern Vermont become rufous by late October."
About Rufous
In Latin, “rūfus” refers to red or red hair.
Did you Know?
The term “rufus” was used widely enough centuries ago that it appeared on the graves of ancient Thracians, who took pride in both red hair and successes in battle. Because of this long association with red hair, “rufous” has largely been used in English to describe the colorings of birds and other animals. Accordingly, “Rufus” was a common 19th-century name for red-haired men in English-speaking countries. (It's still used today, although those with the name needn't be redheaded.)
