ruby

Meanings

Noun

• A clear, deep, red variety of corundum, valued as a precious stone.
• A red spinel.
• A deep red colour.
• The tincture red or gules.
• The size of type between pearl and nonpareil, standardized as 5½-point.
• A ruby hummer, a South American hummingbird, Clytolaema rubricauda (species).
• A red bird-of-paradise, Paradisaea rubra (species).
• A pronunciation guide written above or beside Chinese or Japanese characters.

Adjective

• Of a deep red colour.

Verb

• To make red; to redden.

Origin

• From Middle English ruby, rube, from Old French rubi, from Latin rubeus.
• From the British 5.5-point font Ruby, used for annotations in printed documents.