auburn

Meaning

Noun

A dark reddish-brown colour, often used to describe hair colour.

Adj

Of a reddish-brown colour.

Synonyms

maroon

chestnut

🌰

blond

flaxen

golden

red

tan

chestnut-colored

dark brown

reddish brown

reddish-brown

tawny-brown

chestnut-coloured

amber

golden-brown

brown

chestnut brown

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈɔ.bɚn/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: aubourne

Cognate with Middle English: brun

In summary

Early Modern English auburn (“brown, reddish brown”) from Middle English aubourne, abron, abroune, abrune (“light brown, yellowish brown, blond”), alteration (due to conflation with Middle English brun (“brown”)) of earlier auborne (“yellowish-white, flaxen”) from Old French auborne, alborne (“blond, flaxen, off-white”) from Medieval Latin alburnus (“whitish”), from Latin albus (“white”). More at albino, brown.