Ruddy
Ruddy (also called florid) is a reddish-rosy crimson colour, closer to red than to rose.
A brownish shade of ruddy called ruddy brown is often referred to simply as ruddy when referring to animals.
A pinkish tone of ruddy called ruddy pink is often referred to simply as ruddy when describing the colour of the cheeks of some paler-skinned persons.
The first recorded use of ruddy as a colour name in English was in 1000.
Ruddy in nature
Various birds coloured various shades of ruddy brown are described as ruddy:
Ruddy-breasted crake
Ruddy ground dove
Ruddy quail-dove
Ruddy shelduck
Ruddy turnstone
Ruddy duck
Ruddy in human culture
English Language
In the United Kingdom and some other parts of the Commonwealth, "ruddy" is also used as a mild curse in place of the more offensive "bloody".
Health
Some people are described as having ruddy cheeks (meaning that they have ruddy pink coloured cheeks) and this is usually taken as a sign of good health.
See also
List of colours
Florid
References
↑ Maerz and Paul A Dictionary of Color New York:1930 McGraw-Hill Page 203