Meaning

Reddish in color, especially of the face, fire, or sky..

Definitions by Sense

1. Reddish in color, especially of the face, fire, or sky.
2. Robust and vigorous, like a person with a red complexion (as compared to a pale one).
3. (British, Australia, slang, not comparable) A mild intensifier, expressing irritation.
4. (British, slang) A mild intensifier, expressing irritation.
5. (informal) A ruddy duck.
6. (informal) A ruddy ground dove.
7. (transitive) To make reddish in colour.

Example Sentences

Drystone walls, farm buildings and stone cottages, roofed with ruddy tiles, line the way and blend gently into the surrounding countryside.

A silvery cloud drifted over the mountains that surrounded him, its edges glowing with ruddy light cast from the harvest moon cradled between two peaks.

Frank, who is narrow and ruddy, and who tended to wear a shirt and tie with a cherry-red beanie pulled low over one ear, swapped his white butcher’s coat for a puffer jacket, and led me outside

in ruddy health

"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?"

“Of all the damn silly fatheaded things!” she vociferated, if that's the word. “With a million ruddy names to choose from, these ruddy Creams call one ruddy son Wilbert and the other ruddy son Wilfred, and both these ruddy sons are known as Willie. Just going out of their way to mislead the innocent bystander. You'd think people would have more consideration.”

Michael, you have been sitting on your butt for the last two hours! Why didn't you mow the ruddy lawn?!!

I shall monitor your behaviour carefully during Marge’s visit. If, at the end of it, you’ve toed the line and kept to the story, I’ll sign your ruddy form.

Word Forms

• ruddier
• ruddiest
• ruddies
• ruddying
• ruddied

Synonyms for ruddy

Related Words

When Should You Use Ruddy?

Use ruddy when its meaning, tone and grammar fit the full sentence. A synonym is not always a direct replacement.

Practice This Word

Frequently Asked Questions