rouge
n. C / Un. a red powder or cream that people put on their cheeks to add color. It is an older word for what many people now call blush.
n. a red cosmetic powder or cream applied to the cheeks to provide a healthy or youthful glow. Often used in historical contexts or within the professional cosmetics industry.
She applied a little rouge to her cheeks before the party.
The makeup artist used a subtle rouge to highlight the actress's cheekbones for the period drama.
While modern consumers typically purchase products labeled as blush, the term rouge persists in high-fashion circles and historical discussions of Victorian-era cosmetic practices.
Borrowed from French rouge, from Latin rubeus. Compare rare Middle English rouge, rouȝ (“red”); later borrowed again, as it is not attested until c. 1750. The game senses are of unknown origin according to the Oxford English Dictionary.
Uncountable when referring to the substance in general; countable when referring to specific shades or types.