Definition of 'red'
Word forms: plural reds
, comparative redder
, superlative reddest
1. colour
2. adjective
If you say that someone's face is red, you mean that it is redder than its normal colour, because they are embarrassed, angry, or out of breath.
3. adjective
4. adjective [ADJECTIVE noun]
Your red blood cells or red corpuscles are the cells in your blood which carry oxygen around your body.
6. countable noun
If you refer to someone as a red or a Red, you disapprove of the fact that they are a communist, a socialist, or have left-wing ideas.
[informal, disapproval]
7.
See in the red
8.
See to see red
COBUILD Advanced English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Video: pronunciation of
red
red in British English 1
noun
1.
any of a group of colours, such as that of a ripe tomato or fresh blood, that lie at one end of the visible spectrum, next to orange, and are perceived by the eye when light in the approximate wavelength range 740–620 nanometres falls on the retina. Red is the complementary colour of cyan and forms a set of primary colours with blue and green
▶ Related adjectives: rubicund, ruddy2.
a pigment or dye of or producing these colours
3.
red cloth or clothing
dressed in red
5.
6. Also called: inner archery
7. See in the red
8. See see red
adjectiveWord forms: redder or reddest
9.
of the colour red
12.
13.
(of the eyes) bloodshot
14.
16.
(of wine) made from black grapes and coloured by their skins
17.
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Derived forms
redly (ˈredly) adverb
redness (ˈredness)
noun
Word origin
Old English rēad; compare Old High German rōt, Gothic rauths, Latin ruber, Greek eruthros, Sanskrit rohitared in British English 2
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Red in British English
noun
3.
a member or supporter of a Communist or Socialist Party or a national of a state having such a government,
esp the former Soviet Union
4.
a radical, leftist, or revolutionary
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Word origin
C19: from the colour chosen to symbolize revolutionary socialism
red in American English
noun
1.
a primary color, or any of a spread of colors at the lower end of the visible spectrum, varying in hue from that of blood to pale rose or pink
see also color2.
a pigment producing this color
3. [often R-]; Informal
a political radical or revolutionary; esp., a communist
4.
anything colored red, as a red space on a roulette wheel, a red checker piece, or
red clothing
5.
adjectiveWord forms: ˈredder or ˈreddest
7.
having or being of the color red or any of its hues
8.
having red hair
9.
a.
having a reddish or coppery skin
c.
bloodshot
10.
a. [often R-]
politically radical or revolutionary; esp., communist
b. [R-]
of the Soviet Union
11.
of or designating red wine
Idioms:
Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
Derived forms
redly (ˈredly)
adverb
Word origin
ME < OE read, akin to Ger rot, ON rauthr < IE base *reudh-, red > Gr erythros, L ruber, rufus, red, rubere, to be red, OIr rūad, Lith raũdas, red; (sense 3) from the red flag symbolizing revolutionary socialism
Red in American English
(red)
noun
a male or female given name
Most material © 2005, 1997, 1991 by Penguin Random House LLC. Modified entries © 2019
by Penguin Random House LLC and HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
red- in American English
prefix
var. (before a vowel or h in some words) of re-
redintegrate
Most material © 2005, 1997, 1991 by Penguin Random House LLC. Modified entries © 2019
by Penguin Random House LLC and HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
-red in American English
suffix
Most material © 2005, 1997, 1991 by Penguin Random House LLC. Modified entries © 2019
by Penguin Random House LLC and HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
Word origin
[ME -rede, OE -rǣden]Examples of 'red' in a sentence
red
These examples have been automatically selected and may contain sensitive content. Read more…
Trends of
red
View usage for:
In other languages
red
British English: red
/rɛd/ ADJECTIVE
Something that is red is the colour of blood or tomatoes.
...a bunch of red roses.
- American English: red /ˈrɛd/
- Arabic: أَحْمَر
- Brazilian Portuguese: vermelho
- Chinese: 红的
- Croatian: crven
- Czech: červený
- Danish: rød
- Dutch: rood
- European Spanish: rojo
- Finnish: punainen
- French: rouge
- German: rot
- Greek: κόκκινος
- Italian: rosso
- Japanese: 赤い
- Korean: 빨간
- Norwegian: rød
- Polish: czerwony
- European Portuguese: vermelho
- Romanian: roșu
- Russian: красный
- Latin American Spanish: rojo
- Swedish: röd
- Thai: แดง
- Turkish: kırmızı
- Ukrainian: червоний
- Vietnamese: màu đỏ
Browse alphabetically
red
Source
Definition of red from the Collins English Dictionary
Quick word challenge
Quiz Review
Question: 1
-
Score: 0 / 5
gorilla or guerilla?
Drag the correct answer into the box.
guerilla
gorilla
It was the beginning of a war.
beat or beet?
Drag the correct answer into the box.
beet
beat
They were surrounded by fields of .
boar or bore?
Drag the correct answer into the box.
boar
bore
Wild are numerous in the valleys.
flair or flare?
Drag the correct answer into the box.
flair
flare
I have a friend who has a for languages.
root or route?
Which version is correct?
Your score:
Word of the day
god game
a computer roleplaying game in which the player controls the destiny of one or more avatars within a large virtual environment
9 new words in Collins Dictionary
There is a scientific bent to 9 new words added to the Collins Online Dictionary, including three types of 'blot' tests, and words relating to electric vehicles.
Read more
Brush up on your Latin this Back to School
With the UK running a pilot study into teaching Latin in state schools, we look at common Latin phrases still in use today.
Read more
A little bird told me… 7 animal idioms
It’s new words time at Collins Dictionary and this month we see the addition of words like fingerling, net zero and emotional support animal. This month, there were a few animal-related additions.
Read more
Collins English Dictionary Apps
Download our English Dictionary apps - available for both iOS and Android.
Read more
Collins Dictionaries for Schools
Our new online dictionaries for schools provide a safe and appropriate environment for children. And best of all it's ad free, so sign up now and start using at home or in the classroom.
Read more
Word lists
We have almost 200 lists of words from topics as varied as types of butterflies, jackets, currencies, vegetables and knots!
Amaze your friends with your new-found knowledge!
Read more
Join the Collins community
All the latest wordy news, linguistic insights, offers and competitions every month.
Read more
Quick word challenge
Quiz Review
Question: 1
-
Score: 0 / 5
wait or weight?
Which version is correct?
tide or tied?
Drag the correct answer into the box.
tide
tied
The was going out, and the sand was smooth and glittering.
principal or principle?
Which version is correct?
oar or ore?
Drag the correct answer into the box.
oar
ore
He was using the other as a rudder.
coffee or tea?
Drag the correct answer into the box.
tea
coffee
something is not your cup of
Your score: