rousses

Rousses is the feminine plural form of the French adjective rousse, meaning red-haired. It is used to describe feminine nouns or groups of people with red hair. In everyday usage, the form roux is used for masculine descriptions, while rousse (singular) or rousses (plural) describe feminine nouns. Examples include des femmes rousses or des taches rousses, with the latter describing reddish spots. As a standalone noun, rousses is uncommon and typically appears only as part of a longer noun phrase.

Etymology and morphology: The adjective rousse derives from the Old French roux, which itself comes from Latin ruber, meaning red. The feminine plural form rousses is created by adding -es to the feminine singular rousse. This pattern mirrors standard French gender and number agreement across adjectives.

Geography and toponymy: Les Rousses is a commune in the Jura department of eastern France. Located in the Jura mountains near the Swiss border, it is associated with a rural- and mountain environment and serves as a gateway to regional outdoor activities, including winter sports. The place name shares the same root as the color-based adjective, though its exact historical origin as a toponym is not tied to one specific meaning.

See also: Roux, the masculine form; Rousse, a related surname and place name; Roussillon, a region and toponym in other Francophone areas.