What does "ruddy" mean?
A ruddy duck.
Ruddy
adj, adv, name, noun, verb, slang
adj, adv, name, noun, verb, slang ·2 syllables ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A ruddy duck.
- Grammar: ruddy is listed as adj, adv, name, noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: crimson, reddish, absolute, bally.
- Useful contrasts: anaemic, ashen, barely.
- Usage evidence: My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand.
How to use "ruddy"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "ruddy" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "ruddy" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "ruddy" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "ruddy" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "ruddy" is acting as adj, adv, name, noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "crimson" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "ruddy", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A ruddy duck. informal
"In winter, snow geese land at West Pond, a Robert Moses legacy that ought to be called Duck Soup: at this time of year look for ruddies, greater scaups, Northern pintails, American widgeons and gadwalls."
- 2 A ruddy ground dove. informal
"Ground doves — two ruddies are shown here — are so called because they feed on the ground."
Verb
- 1 To make reddish in colour. transitive
"The sunset ruddied our faces."
Adjective
- 1 Reddish in color, especially of the face, fire, or sky.
"Drystone walls, farm buildings and stone cottages, roofed with ruddy tiles, line the way and blend gently into the surrounding countryside."
- 2 Robust and vigorous, like a person with a red complexion (as compared to a pale one).
"in ruddy health"
- 3 A mild intensifier, expressing irritation. Australia, British, not-comparable, slang
""Sister?" I inquired. "She ain't 'ere," a man's voice said. "What's more," it went on, "she ain't been 'ere for ruddy hours, neither. Can't you pull them ruddy curtains, mate, and let's 'ave some flippin' light?""
Adjective
- 1 of a color at the end of the color spectrum (next to orange); resembling the color of blood or cherries or tomatoes or rubies wordnet
- 2 inclined to a healthy reddish color often associated with outdoor life wordnet
Adverb
- 1 A mild intensifier, expressing irritation. British, not-comparable, slang
"“So, you made quite a splash on Question Time, my homeless pal,” he continued. “Ruddy hilarious. Ha ha ha!”"
Proper Noun
- 1 A surname.
Antonyms
Example
"My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "ruddy"?
Common synonyms include: crimson, reddish, absolute, bally, blamed, blankety blank.
How do you use "ruddy" in a sentence?
My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand.
Etymology
From Middle English ruddy, rody, rudi, from Old English rudiġ (“reddish; ruddy”), from rudu (“redness”), equivalent to rud (“redness”) + -y. Compare Icelandic roði (“redness”). The British slang sense expressing irritation is presumably a euphemism for bloody.