Word Study
russet
CIDE DICTIONARY
russet, a. [F. rousset, dim. of roux red, L. russus (for rudtus, rudhtus), akin to E. red. See Red, and cf. Roussette.].
- Of a reddish brown color, or (by some called) a red gray; of the color composed of blue, red, and yellow in equal strength, but unequal proportions, namely, two parts of red to one each of blue and yellow; also, of a yellowish brown color. [1913 Webster]"The morn, in russet mantle clad." [1913 Webster]"Our summer such a russet livery wears." [1913 Webster]
- Coarse; homespun; rustic. Shak. [1913 Webster]
russet, n.
- A russet color; a pigment of a russet color. [1913 Webster]
- Cloth or clothing of a russet color. [1913 Webster]
- A country dress; -- so called because often of a russet color. Dryden. [1913 Webster]
- An apple, or a pear, of a russet color; as, the
English russet , and theRoxbury russet . [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
russet, adj. & n.
--adj.
1 reddish-brown.
2 archaic rustic, homely, simple.
--n.
1 a reddish-brown colour.
2 a kind of rough-skinned russet-coloured apple.
3 hist. a coarse homespun reddish-brown or grey cloth used for simple clothing.
--adj.
1 reddish-brown.
2 archaic rustic, homely, simple.
--n.
1 a reddish-brown colour.
2 a kind of rough-skinned russet-coloured apple.
3 hist. a coarse homespun reddish-brown or grey cloth used for simple clothing.
Derivative
russety adj.
Etymology
ME f. AF f. OF rosset, rousset, dimin. of roux red f. Prov. ros, It. rosso f. L russus red
ROGET THESAURUS
russet
Gray
N gray, neutral tint, silver, pepper and salt, chiaroscuro, grisaille, Payne's gray, black, gray, grey, iron-gray, dun, drab, dingy, leaden, livid, somber, sad, pearly, russet, roan, calcareous, limy, favillous, silver, silvery, silvered, ashen, ashy, cinereous, cineritious, grizzly, grizzled, slate-colored, stone-colored, mouse-colored, ash-colored, cool.Brown
N brown, bister ocher, sepia, Vandyke brown, brown, bay, dapple, auburn, castaneous, chestnut, nut-brown, cinnamon, russet, tawny, fuscous, chocolate, maroon, foxy, tan, brunette, whitey brown, fawn-colored, snuff-colored, liver-colored, brown as a berry, brown as mahogany, brown as the oak leaves, khaki, sun-burnt, tanned.For further exploring for "russet" in Webster Dictionary Online