ruddy.

1. Having a healthy-looking or strong reddish coloration.

2. Used before a word to emphasize annoyance or emphasis as a mild substitute for stronger swearing.

Use it for

Words that belong together

• ruddy cheeks
• ruddy glow

On the page

The wind left their cheeks ruddy.

Usage notes

Primary category: sensory / description. Forms: Comparative ruddier; superlative ruddiest. Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1 only. Use numbered sense fields for all meanings. Established modern English lexical item. No separate regional spelling or grammatical inflection entry. Writing functions: description. Commonness: moderately common.