auburn

¹

[aw-bern]

noun

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

adjective

1. having auburn color.

   auburn hair.

Auburn

²

[aw-bern]

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.

auburn

/ ˈɔːbən /

noun

1. 1. a moderate reddish-brown colour

   2. ( as adjective )

      auburn hair

Word History and Origins

Origin of auburn¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of auburn¹

C15 (originally meaning: blond): from Old French alborne blond, from Medieval Latin alburnus whitish, from Latin albus white

Example Sentences

It was not blond, like Miss Mortimer’s, but a once-vivid auburn that had been softened by time, with strands of silver running through.

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Even so, the Incorrigibles’ lustrous auburn locks stood out vividly from the rest, like bright red poppies in a grassy field.

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Then she roused the children, gave each head of shining auburn hair a quick smoothing with a damp comb, and helped them put on their shoes.

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By that she meant reddish, although a person who was accustomed to talking about hair would be more likely to describe it as a rich auburn.

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

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