rubrica

Rubrica is a term with multiple related meanings in Latin, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, and English. It originates from the Latin rubrica, from ruber meaning red, reflecting early uses that marked text with red ink to organize or highlight content.

In historic manuscripts, rubrica referred to headings, titles, or instructions written in red ink. These red marks helped readers navigate the text, indicate liturgical directions, or separate sections. The practice gave rise to the later English word rubric, which retained the sense of a guiding instruction or heading within a document or service.

In contemporary Italian, rubrica most often denotes an index or directory, such as a rubrica telefonica (phone book), and it can also refer to a newspaper column or a section of a text. In Portuguese and Spanish, rubrica similarly marks headings or captions, and in some contexts may denote a signature or initials added to a document.

In English, the related term rubric is used to describe a scoring guide or set of criteria for evaluating performance. Historically, a rubric also meant a liturgical instruction or heading. The broader concept links classification, headings, and evaluative or instructional notes across different languages and historical periods.

Overall, rubrica conveys ideas of organization and labeling—through red-marked headings in manuscripts, or through headings, directories, columns, and evaluative criteria in modern usage.