# ruddy

> English word · Adjective · IPA /ˈɹʌdi/ · frequency rank #28,703

## Definitions
1. Reddish in color, especially of the face, fire, or sky.
2. Robust and vigorous, like a person with a red complexion (as compared to a pale one).
3. A mild intensifier, expressing irritation.

## Etymology
From Middle English ruddy, rody, rudi, from Old English rudiġ (“reddish; ruddy”), from rudu (“redness”), equivalent to rud (“redness”) + -y. Compare Icelandic roði (“redness”).
The British slang sense expressing irritation is presumably a euphemism for bloody.

## Easily confused with
- **rude** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ruddy-vs-rude)
- **Rudy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ruddy-vs-rudy)
- **Rudi** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ruddy-vs-rudi)
- **rugby** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ruddy-vs-rugby)
- **rusty** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ruddy-vs-rusty)
- **runny** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ruddy-vs-runny)
- **rudely** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ruddy-vs-rudely)
- **ruby** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ruby-vs-ruddy)
- **rudd** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rudd-vs-ruddy)
- **redd** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/redd-vs-ruddy)
- **ready** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ready-vs-ruddy)
- **randy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/randy-vs-ruddy)
- **rowdy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rowdy-vs-ruddy)
- **Reddy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/reddy-vs-ruddy)
- **roddy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/roddy-vs-ruddy)
- **reedy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/reedy-vs-ruddy)
- **rudder** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rudder-vs-ruddy)

## Common misspellings (5)
`rdudy`, `rruddy`, `ruddyy`, `rudyd`, `urddy`

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