ruddock

See also: Ruddock

English

Alternative forms

• reddock, raddock (dialectal)
• ruddoc, rudock (obsolete)

Etymology

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

• IPA^(key): /ˈɹʌdək/

Noun

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

• “ruddock”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.