Rufous () is a colour that may be described as reddish-brown or brownish-red, as of rust or oxidised iron. The first recorded use of rufous as a colour name in English was in 1782. However, the colour is also recorded earlier in 1527 as a diagnostic urine colour.

The word "rufous" is derived from the Latin , meaning "red", and is used as an adjective in the names of many animals—especially birds—to describe the colour of their skin, fur, or plumage.

See also

• List of colors: N–Z

• Shades of brown

• Shades of red

References