Definition

1. Noun:
   • A person with red hair: Refers to an individual whose hair color is a shade of red, such as auburn, copper, or ginger.
   • A North American diving duck (Aythya americana): A species of duck characterized by the male's grey-and-black body and distinctive reddish-brown head.
   • A North American woodpecker (Melanerpes erythrocephalus): A bird, also known as the red-headed woodpecker, noted for its black-and-white body and bright red head and neck.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Person):
  • She is a natural redhead with freckles.
  • The famous painter often used redheads as his models.
• Noun (Duck):
  • We spotted a flock of redheads on the lake during migration.
  • The male redhead is easily identified by its cinnamon-colored head.
• Noun (Woodpecker):
  • A redhead was pecking at the old tree trunk.
  • The redhead, unlike the pileated woodpecker, has a completely red head.

Advanced Usage

• Used informally and sometimes as a nickname for a person with red hair.
  • "Hey, Redhead, over here!" he called to his friend.
• In ornithology, the term specifies the particular species of duck or woodpecker.

Variants and Related Words

• Redheaded (adj): Having red hair.
  • The redheaded child stood out in the family photo.
• Red (adj, n): The color; sometimes used informally to refer to a redhead.
  • He has a full head of red. (Informal)

Synonyms

• Person: Ginger (chiefly British), carrottop (informal), auburn-haired (if hair is a dark red-brown).
• Duck: (scientific name), red-headed duck.
• Woodpecker: Red-headed woodpecker, (scientific name).

Related Phrases and Idioms

• Temper like a redhead: A stereotype, now largely considered offensive, suggesting people with red hair have fiery tempers.
  • He dismissed the old myth about someone having a temper like a redhead.

Noun

1. black-and-white North American woodpecker having a red head and neck
2. North American diving duck with a grey-and-black body and reddish-brown head
3. someone who has red hair