coppery

IPA/ˈkɒpəri/
KK[kˈɑpɚi]IPA/ˈkɑːpəri/

coppery — adjective

  • copperypositive
  • more copperycomparative
  • most copperysuperlative

1. showing a warm red-brown colour, often with a slight metallic shine like polishe

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

showing a warm red-brown colour, often with a slight metallic shine like polished copper metal

Example

Late sunlight gave the temple roof a coppery glow before sunset.

collocation: coppery glow / coppery light

Anong brushed her coppery hair before leaving for the wedding.

describing hair colour: coppery hair

Common collocations
  • coppery glow
  • coppery hair
  • coppery light
  • coppery shine
  • coppery paint
  • coppery tint
  • turn coppery
Synonyms
  • bronze

    usually browner and duller, often used for skin, statues, or finishes

  • auburn

    mainly used for reddish-brown hair rather than light, metal, or paint

  • rusty

    suggests a drier, weathered red-brown without the metallic warmth of coppery

Grammar Patterns

coppery + noun

be/look/turn + coppery

Usage Note

Often used for hair, light, metal, or painted surfaces. It suggests a warmer red-brown tone than plain brown and usually hints at a soft metallic shine.

Common Mistakes

The room looked coppery because it was very bright.
The room looked golden because it was very bright.
coppery names a specific warm red-brown shade, not brightness alone.
His coat was coppery blue.
His coat was coppery brown.
coppery only fits colours in the red-brown range associated with copper.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

Coppery is useful when a colour has a warm red-brown base and often a faint metallic shine. Reddish is much broader and weaker: it only means 'somewhat red' and does not suggest any metal at all. Bronze is usually browner and duller, so it suits skin, statues, or finishes better than sunset light or hair. Auburn is mostly a hair word and often sounds softer or richer than coppery. Rusty points to a dry, weathered red-brown with an old or rough feeling. You might describe evening light on a roof as coppery, a swimmer's skin as bronze, and a woman's hair as auburn.

reddish ↗bronze ↗auburn ↗rusty ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • coppery glow
  • coppery hair
  • coppery light
  • coppery tint

Phrases

  • turn coppery

Etymology

LatinOld EnglishMiddle EnglishModern English

Coppery is built from copper, a word that came into English through Old English from Latin cuprum, plus the adjective-forming suffix -y meaning 'having the quality of'. The adjective developed to describe colours and surfaces that recall the warm red-brown shine of the metal rather than objects that are literally made from copper.