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• auburn
  auburn

  noun

  a reddish-brown or golden-brown color.
• Auburn
  Auburn

  noun

  a city in central New York: state prison.

auburn

¹ American  

[aw-bern] / ˈɔ bərn /

noun

1. a reddish-brown or golden-brown color.

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adjective

1. having auburn color.

   auburn hair.

Auburn ² American  

[aw-bern] / ˈɔ bərn /

noun

1. a city in central New York: state prison.

2. a city in E Alabama.

3. a city in W central Washington.

4. a city in SW Maine, on the Androscoggin River.

5. a city in central Massachusetts.

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auburn British  

/ ˈɔːbən /

noun

1. 1. a moderate reddish-brown colour

   2. ( as adjective )

      auburn hair

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Etymology

Origin of auburn

1400–50; late Middle English abo ( u ) rne blond < Middle French, Old French auborne, alborne < Latin alburnus whitish. See alburnum

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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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

auburn Auburn

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

An auburn couch was positioned beneath a chandelier hung from the light-wrapped olive trees that surrounded the scene.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 7, 2023

According to that entry, the woman was thought to be 5-foot-5 with red or auburn hair.

From Seattle Times ● Jun. 14, 2023

The girl with the auburn hair approached the queen and bowed.

From "The Son of Neptune" by Rick Riordan

Cook’s fondness for his alma mater Auburn University, where he earned a degree in industrial engineering, periodically brings him back to campus for special events or football games.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 29, 2026

“They were like, ‘He’s not available for any questions,’” recalled Eves, a longtime Apple fan and an Auburn engineering student at the time.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 29, 2026

And when he landed at Auburn, his football career came full circle.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026

Stockard was on the dance team at Auburn, where she studied pediatric nursing.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 6, 2026

Auburn Prison, meanwhile, had been built in the style of Newgate Prison in New York City, with inmates housed in “apartments” holding two to twenty inmates.

From "Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing" by Ted Conover

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