Skip to the word

Added 9 October 2026

rouge

/ˈɹuːʒ/ adjective

Latin root: rubeus Wiktionary

adjective Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about rouge at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

Of a reddish pink colour.

noun

Red or pink makeup to add colour to the cheeks; blusher.
Any reddish pink colour.
A single point awarded when a team kicks the ball out of its opponent's end zone, or when a kicked ball becomes dead within the non-kicking team's end zone. Etymology uncertain; it is thought that in the early years of the sport, a red flag indicated that a single had been scored.

verb

To apply rouge (makeup).
She rouged her face before setting out for the party.

Origin

Borrowed from French rouge, from Latin rubeus. Compare rare Middle English rouge, rouȝ (“red”); later borrowed again, as it is not attested until c. 1750. The game senses are of unknown origin according to the Oxford English Dictionary.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

Back to today's word