Standard Lemma guide

rubric

adj · noun · verb · 20 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈɹuːbɹɪk/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: R UW1 B R IH0 K Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Coloured or marked with red; placed in rubrics.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Of or relating to the rubric or rubrics; rubrical.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

A heading in a book highlighted in red.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

A title of a category or a class.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • That would fall under the rubric of things we can ignore for now.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

The directions for a religious service, formerly printed in red letters.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: Christianity

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

noun

Meaning 6

An established rule or custom; a guideline.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • Whilst this rubric is not written into law, it should always be followed.
  • 1847-1848, Thomas De Quincey, "Protestantism", in Tait's Edinburgh Magazine Nay, as a duty, it had no place or rubric in human conceptions before Christianity.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

noun

Meaning 7

A statement of intent.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • The Government's rubric of "caring for communities" is ridiculous.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

noun

Meaning 8

A set of explanatory notes or rules at the beginning of an exam paper, usually typographically distinct from the rest of the paper.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: education

Examples

  • Do not award marks to candidates who have made rubric errors.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

9

noun

Meaning 9

A set of scoring criteria for evaluating student work and for giving feedback.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: education

Examples

  • We refer to the rubric when marking oral examinations.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

10

noun

Meaning 10

A flourish after a signature.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

11

noun

Meaning 11

Red ochre.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

12

verb

Meaning 12

To adorn with red; to redden.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

13

verb

Meaning 13

To organize or classify into rubrics.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

14

noun

Meaning 14

category name

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • it is usually discussed under the rubric of `functional obesity'

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: category

15

noun

Meaning 15

a title or heading that is printed in red or in a special type

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: title, heading, header, head

16

noun

Meaning 16

a heading that names a statute or legislative bill; may give a brief summary of the matters it deals with

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • Title 8 provided federal help for schools

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: title, statute title

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: heading, header, head

17

noun

Meaning 17

an authoritative rule of conduct or procedure

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: rule, prescript

18

noun

Meaning 18

directions for the conduct of Christian church services (often printed in red in a prayer book)

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: direction, instruction

19

noun

Meaning 19

an explanation or definition of an obscure word in a text

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: gloss

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: explanation, account

20

verb

Meaning 20

adorn with ruby red color

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: rubify

History

Etymology

From Middle English rubriche, rubrike, from Old French rubrique, from Latin rūbrīca (“red ochre”), the substance used to make red letters, from ruber (“red”), from Proto-Indo-European *h1rewdh-.

Across languages

Translations

48 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Cantonese: 標題 /标题 (biu1 tai4) — heading in a book highlighted in red
  • Finnish: rubriikki — heading in a book highlighted in red
  • Finnish: otsikko — heading in a book highlighted in red
  • German: Rubrik — heading in a book highlighted in red
  • Indonesian: rubrik — heading in a book highlighted in red
  • Irish: rúibric — heading in a book highlighted in red
  • Irish: ceannteideal — heading in a book highlighted in red
  • Irish: ceannscríbhinn — heading in a book highlighted in red
  • Latin: rubrica — heading in a book highlighted in red
  • Latvian: rubrika — heading in a book highlighted in red
  • Romanian: rubrică — heading in a book highlighted in red
  • Russian: ру́брика (rúbrika) — heading in a book highlighted in red
  • Russian: кра́сная строка́ (krásnaja stroká) — heading in a book highlighted in red
  • Spanish: rúbrica — heading in a book highlighted in red
  • Swedish: rubrik — heading in a book highlighted in red
  • Afrikaans: rubriek — category or classification
  • Bulgarian: рубрика (rubrika) — category or classification
  • Czech: rubrika — category or classification
  • Dutch: rubriek — category or classification
  • Esperanto: rubriko — category or classification
  • Finnish: kategoria — category or classification
  • French: rubrique — category or classification
  • German: Rubrik — category or classification
  • Hungarian: rubrika — category or classification
  • Latvian: rubrika — category or classification
  • Portuguese: rubrica — category or classification
  • Portuguese: rúbrica — category or classification
  • Russian: ру́брика (rúbrika) — category or classification
  • Russian: катего́рия (kategórija) — category or classification
  • Afrikaans: rubriek — established rule or custom, a guideline
  • Finnish: ohje — established rule or custom, a guideline
  • Finnish: ohjeistus — established rule or custom, a guideline
  • Indonesian: rubrik — established rule or custom, a guideline
  • Lithuanian: rubrica — established rule or custom, a guideline
  • Māori: pūraranga — established rule or custom, a guideline
  • Spanish: rúbrica — established rule or custom, a guideline
  • Afrikaans: rubriek — printed set of scoring criteria
  • Finnish: kriteeristö — printed set of scoring criteria
  • Finnish: arviointikriteeri — printed set of scoring criteria
  • Finnish: arviointipohja — printed set of scoring criteria
  • Finnish: arviointiskeema — printed set of scoring criteria
  • German: Benotungsschema — printed set of scoring criteria
  • Indonesian: rubrik — printed set of scoring criteria
  • Italian: scheda di valutazione — printed set of scoring criteria
  • Portuguese: rubrica — printed set of scoring criteria
  • Spanish: pauta de evaluación — printed set of scoring criteria
  • Spanish: matriz de evaluación — printed set of scoring criteria
  • Spanish: rúbrica (no DRAE) — printed set of scoring criteria