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

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

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

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

Martin's long, auburn curls fell out, and her memory was slipping.

From Salon • Feb. 28, 2023

Her thin lips are painted an angry stroke of red, and in the night her auburn hair looks dark brown—almost black.

From "Legend" by Marie Lu