Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

redbone

/ˈɹɛd.boʊn/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 1.99 in modern English

Syllables: red-bone
IPA: /ˈɹɛd.boʊn/

10

Scrabble Score

7

Letters

2

Syllables

6

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A dark-red or tan coonhound.

American usage

noun

An African American with light skin with red undertones.

American usage

noun

A member of any of several specific North American ethnic groups called Redbones

Example Sentences

"Redbones are commonly supposed to represent a fusion of the Indian, Negro, and white races […]"
"The store attracted countless colorful characters, including Native Americans, wild-cowboy Texans, Chinese laborers, and “redbones,” the offspring of African Americans and Native Americans."
"I can joke about being a redbone, and I am that. But most folks don't make no distinction between a redbone and a colored man, unless it's to their benefit."

Etymology

From red + bone.

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /ˈɹɛd.boʊn/

Usage

American usage

Inflected Forms

redbones (plural)

Phrases

high yellow yellow bone

Frequently Paired Words

high yellow yellow bone

Questions

How do you pronounce redbone?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈɹɛd.boʊn/.
What does redbone mean?: A dark-red or tan coonhound.
Where does redbone come from?: From red + bone.

How to pronounce redbone

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “redbone”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈɹɛd.boʊn/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “redbone”.
Repeat and practice — Say “redbone” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.