auburn
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
adj.having a dark reddish-brown colour, usually used to describe someone's hair.
adj.of a reddish-brown or golden-brown hue; almost exclusively used as a descriptor for human hair.
Simple“She has beautiful auburn hair that glows when the sun hits it.”
In context“The portrait captured the subject's striking auburn hair, which contrasted sharply against the pale silk of her Victorian gown.”
UsageUsually placed before the noun 'hair' or used as a predicative adjective after 'is' or 'was'.
Teacher's tipWhile 'red' is a general term, 'auburn' is more specific and considered more elegant or descriptive in literature and fashion.
Synonyms - 02 C1 Advanced
n.a dark reddish-brown colour.
n.a dark reddish-brown colour or pigment. Uncountable when referring to the abstract colour; countable when referring to specific shades.
Simple“The leaves on the trees turned to a deep auburn in late October.”
In context“The artist mixed burnt sienna and a touch of crimson to achieve the perfect auburn for the autumn landscape.”
Teacher's tipIn modern English, the noun form is less common than the adjective; it is mostly found in descriptive writing about nature or art.
Synonymsred brownmahogany