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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

“He’s wearing pearls and has auburn hair that covers one eye — it’s like a playground for your brain reading that kind of stuff.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 17, 2026

Kidman’s auburn hair and tiny sunglasses are the stuff of every Pinterest moodboard.

From Salon ● Sep. 14, 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

Every autumn, as leaves turn from green to auburn and float to the ground, we turn into a nation of outdoor undertakers.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2025

Catelyn had always thought Robb looked like her; like Bran and Rickon and Sansa, he had the Tully coloring, the auburn hair, the blue eyes.

From "A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin

“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

Hunter, 24, was a 2025 fourth-round draft pick from Auburn.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 27, 2026

Thirty-five years later, teaching the art and science of running into people as fast as possible is how Golesh makes his living as the new head football coach at Auburn.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026

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

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026

The district attorney ordered them to Auburn for questioning.

From "Harriet Tubman: Conductor on the Underground Railroad" by Ann Petry

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