# ruby

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈɹuː.bi/ · frequency rank #7,386

## Definitions
1. A clear, deep, red variety of corundum, valued as a precious stone.
2. A deep red colour.
3. The tincture red or gules.
4. A ruby hummer, a South American hummingbird, Clytolaema rubricauda.
5. A red bird-of-paradise, Paradisaea rubra.
6. The size of type between pearl and nonpareil, standardized as 5½-point.
7. A pronunciation guide written above or beside Chinese characters.
8. A red spinel.

## Etymology
From Middle English ruby, rube, from Old French rubi, from Medieval Latin rubīnus. Doublet of rubi and rubine.
Sense 7 (“pronunciation guide”) is from the British 5½-point type size (sense 6), used for annotations in printed documents.

## Easily confused with
- **run** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ruby-vs-run)
- **rug** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ruby-vs-rug)
- **rum** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ruby-vs-rum)
- **rue** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ruby-vs-rue)
- **rut** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ruby-vs-rut)
- **Rus** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ruby-vs-rus)
- **rule** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ruby-vs-rule)
- **runs** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ruby-vs-runs)
- **rush** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ruby-vs-rush)
- **ruin** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ruby-vs-ruin)
- **rude** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ruby-vs-rude)
- **ruth** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ruby-vs-ruth)
- **rust** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ruby-vs-rust)
- **Russ** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ruby-vs-russ)
- **Rudy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ruby-vs-rudy)
- **rudd** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ruby-vs-rudd)
- **rung** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ruby-vs-rung)
- **ruse** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ruby-vs-ruse)
- **ruff** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ruby-vs-ruff)
- **rump** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ruby-vs-rump)

## Common misspellings (6)
`rbuy`, `rruby`, `rubby`, `rubyy`, `ruyb`, `urby`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/ruby