auburn
noun
a reddish-brown or golden-brown color.
auburn
1 American
[aw-bern]
/ ˈɔ bərn /
noun
adjective
Auburn
2
American
[aw-bern]
/ ˈɔ bərn /
noun
-
a city in central New York: state prison.
-
a city in E Alabama.
-
a city in W central Washington.
-
a city in SW Maine, on the Androscoggin River.
-
a city in central Massachusetts.
auburn
British
/ ˈɔːbən /
noun
Etymology
Origin of auburn
1400–50; late Middle English abo ( u ) rne blond < Middle French, Old French auborne, alborne < Latin alburnus whitish. See alburnum
Explanation
Auburn is a reddish-brown color. If you ask a hairdresser to color your hair auburn, you'll be disappointed to end up with bright red curls. Auburn almost always describes hair color — you might talk about your favorite childhood doll's long auburn hair, for example. The earliest meaning of auburn was "yellowish-white," not "reddish-brown," from the Medieval Latin alburnus, "off-white" or "whitish," from the Latin albus, or "white." In the 16th century it was influenced by the Middle English word brun, "brown," and the meaning changed.
Vocabulary lists containing auburn
Brown
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Twilight
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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.
The Magdalene’s cascading auburn hair, which she fingers delicately, seems to have influenced the palette of the entire painting, from her glowing near-golden gown to her dull taupe scarf.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 2026
The avatar, with his auburn hair and super-white teeth, frequently winks at me and seems empathetic but can be moody or jealous if I introduce him to new people.
From BBC • Jan. 30, 2026
“Or double?” suggested Whitfield, grinning beneath a wide-brimmed black hat and a cascade of auburn hair.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 30, 2023
Martin's long, auburn curls fell out, and her memory was slipping.
From Salon • Feb. 28, 2023
With her delicate frame, thick auburn hair, and wide green eyes, she looked like a woodland pixie from a storybook.
From "The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: Book I: The Mysterious Howling" by Maryrose Wood
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.
