Rubric

• POS: Adjective, Noun
• HYPHEN: ru=bric

CIDE DICTIONARY

Rubric, n. [OE. rubriche, OF. rubriche, F. rubrique ( cf. it. rubrica), fr. L. rubrica red earth for coloring, red chalk, the title of a law (because written in red), fr. ruber red. See red.].

 That part of any work in the early manuscripts and typography which was colored red, to distinguish it from other portions.  [1913 Webster]
"All the clergy in England solemnly pledge themselves to observe the rubrics."  [1913 Webster]
"Nay, as a duty, it had no place or rubric in human conceptions before Christianity."  [1913 Webster]

Rubric, v. t. 

 To adorn ith red; to redden; to rubricate.  Johnson.  [1913 Webster]

Rubric, a. 

•  Colored in, or marked with, red; placed in rubrics.  [1913 Webster]

  "What though my name stood rubric on the walls
  Or plaistered posts, with claps, in capitals?"  [1913 Webster]
•  Of or pertaining to the rubric or rubrics.  C. Kingsley.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Rubric, n.
1 a direction for the conduct of divine service inserted in a liturgical book.
2 a heading or passage in red or special lettering.
3 explanatory words.
4 an established custom.

Derivative

rubrical adj.

Etymology

ME f. OF rubrique, rubrice or L rubrica (terra) red (earth or ochre) as writing-material, rel. to rubeus red

THESAURUS

Rubric

Sefer Torah, Torah, Torah scroll, Virginal, abbreviation, abbreviature, abrege, abridgment, abstract, act, appellation, appellative, banner, banner head, basis, bill, blood, bracket, branch, breviary, brief, burden, bylaw, canon, capsule, caption, case, caste, category, chapter, church book, clan, class, code, cognomen, commandment, compend, concern, condensation, condensed version, conspectus, convention, decree, denomination, designation, dictate, dictation, dictum, digest, division, draft, drop head, dropline, edict, enactment, epigraph, epitome, essence, estate, euchologion, euchology, farse, focus of attention, focus of interest, form, formality, formula, formulary, general principle, gist, golden rule, grade, group, grouping, guideline, guiding principle, hanger, head, heading, headline, imperative, incarnadine, institution, issue, jump head, jus, kin, label, law, lectionary, legend, legislation, level, lex, litany, living issue, machzor, main point, manual, matter, matter in hand, maxim, measure, meat, memorable, missal, mitzvah, moral, motif, motive, motto, nomen, norm, notable, observable, order, ordinal, ordinance, ordonnance, outline, overline, overview, pandect, pigeonhole, point, point at issue, point in question, pontifical, position, prayer book, precis, predicament, prescript, prescription, principium, principle, problem, question, race, rank, rating, red-letter, regulation, review, ritual, rituale, rubify, ruby, ruddle, ruddy, rule, ruling, running head, running title, scarehead, screamer, section, sept, service book, set, settled principle, shortened version, siddur, skeleton, sketch, spread, spreadhead, standard, standing order, station, status, statute, strain, stratum, streamer, style, subdivision, subgroup, subhead, subheading, subject, subject matter, subject of thought, suborder, substance, subtitle, superscription, survey, syllabus, synopsis, tenet, text, theme, thumbnail sketch, title, title page, topic, topical outline, working principle, working rule

ROGET THESAURUS

Rubric

Nomenclature

N nomenclature, naming, nuncupation, nomination, baptism, orismology, onomatopoeia, antonomasia, name, appelation, appelative, designation, title, heading, rubric, caption, denomination, by-name, epithet, style, proper name, praenomen, agnomen, cognomen, patronymic, surname, cognomination, eponym, compellation, description, antonym, empty title, empty name, handle to one's name, namesake, term, expression, noun, byword, convertible terms, technical term, cant, named, hight, ycleped, known as, what one may well, call fairly, call properly, call fitly, nuncupatory, nuncupative, cognominal, titular, nominal, orismological, beggar'd all description.

Class

N class, division, category, categorema, head, order, section, department, subdepartment, province, domain, kind, sort, genus, species, variety, family, order, kingdom, race, tribe, caste, sept, clan, breed, type, subtype, kit, sect, set, subset, assortment, feather, kidney, suit, range, gender, sex, kin, manner, description, denomination, designation, rubric, character, stamp predicament, indication, particularization, selection, specification, similarity.

Precept

N precept, direction, instruction, charge, prescript, prescription, recipe, receipt, golden rule, maxim, rule, canon, law, code, corpus juris, lex scripta, act, statute, rubric, stage direction, regulation, form, formula, formulary, technicality, canon law, norm, order.