ruddock

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See also: Ruddock

English

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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From Middle English ruddocke, ruddok, roddok, from Old English rudduc, ruduc (robin, ruddock, literally little red one, red-ling), equivalent to rud (redness) +‎ -ock (diminutive suffix). The Welsh rhuddog, and Cornish rudhek (the redbreast) are probably from the English, although a derivation from a British Celtic *roudākos (< *roudos "red") for all three cannot be ruled out. More at rud.

Pronunciation

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Noun

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ruddock (plural ruddocks)

  1. (archaic) The European robin.
    • 1595, Edmund Spenser, Epithalamion:
      The Ouzell shrills; the Ruddock warbles soft.
    • 1827, Thomas Hood, The Plea of the Midsummer Fairies:
      The sweet And shrilly ruddock, with its bleeding breast
  2. (obsolete) A piece of gold money (probably because the gold of coins was often reddened by copper alloy).
    • 1611, John Florio, Queen Anna's New World of Words, or Dictionarie of the Italian and English tongues:
      Great pieces of gold [] red ruddocks.
  3. (obsolete) A variety of red apple, used for cidermaking.

References

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