Most often, ruddy is applied to the face when it has the red glow of good health or is red from a suffusion of blood from exercise or excitement. It is also used in the names of some birds, …

RUDDY definition: of or having a fresh, healthy red color. See examples of ruddy used in a sentence.

Add to word list (of a white person’s skin) having a red color, often suggesting good health: a ruddy-cheeked girl (Definition of ruddy from the Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary © …

There are 12 meanings listed in OED's entry for the word ruddy, one of which is labelled obsolete. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.

1. a. Having a healthy, reddish color. b. Reddish; rosy. 2. Chiefly British Slang Used as an intensive: "You ruddy liar!" (John Galsworthy). [Middle English rudi, from Old English rudig; …

Jan 14, 2026 · Adverb ruddy (not comparable) (British, slang) A mild intensifier, expressing irritation.

Definition of ruddy adjective in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.

Ruddy is used to describe something that is reddish — like the color of red hair, tomatoes, or a friend's cheeks on a cold winter's day.

If you describe someone's face as ruddy, you mean that their face is a reddish colour, usually because they are healthy or have been working hard, or because they are angry or …

The ruddy colors in the fractures are the products of the minerals that bubble up through the cracks.