brick red: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Specialist / Descriptive
Quick answer
What does “brick red” mean?
A dull, brownish-red colour resembling that of typical bricks.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A dull, brownish-red colour resembling that of typical bricks.
A descriptive colour term for objects, animals, plants, or soils possessing this hue; also used in artistic, design, and technical contexts.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical differences; spelling of "colour/color" may differ in surrounding text.
Connotations
Primarily neutral and descriptive in both varieties.
Frequency
Low-to-medium frequency in both, used in similar contexts (design, nature, art).
Grammar
How to Use “brick red” in a Sentence
[be] brick red[turn/go] brick red[colour] brick redVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “brick red” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The artist favoured a brick-red pigment for the landscape.
- After the fire, the soil had a brick-red colour.
American English
- We painted the shutters a brick-red color.
- The canyon walls were a stunning brick red.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in product descriptions for paint, fabrics, or cosmetics (e.g., 'available in brick red').
Academic
Found in geology, soil science, and biology texts describing pigmentation.
Everyday
Used to describe the colour of autumn leaves, old buildings, or flushed skin.
Technical
A standard colour name in design systems, paint charts, and web colour palettes.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “brick red”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “brick red”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “brick red”
- Using it as a noun without a hyphen ('a brick red' vs. 'a brick-red shade'). Confusing it with brighter 'fire-engine red'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is a hyphenated compound adjective when used attributively (brick-red paint). It can be written as two words predictively (The paint is brick red).
Yes, it can describe a sunburnt or flushed complexion, often implying a deep, dull redness (e.g., 'His face was brick red from the cold wind').
They are very similar. 'Terracotta' often refers specifically to the colour of baked clay and may have slightly more orange or pink undertones, while 'brick red' is typically a duller, browner red.
Yes, it is a recognized colour name in many web colour systems (e.g., CSS colour names), often defined by a specific hex code like #CB4154 or similar.
A dull, brownish-red colour resembling that of typical bricks.
Brick red is usually specialist / descriptive in register.
Brick red: in British English it is pronounced /ˌbrɪk ˈred/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌbrɪk ˈrɛd/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None directly; colour is sometimes referenced in idioms about blushing (e.g., 'He went brick red with embarrassment').”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of an old, weathered brick wall in the sunset – that dull, warm red is 'brick red'.
Conceptual Metaphor
EARTH / WARMTH (associated with clay, soil, and fired earth).
Practice
Quiz
In which field is 'brick red' MOST likely to be used as a technical descriptor?