rougir

Word: rougir

Meaning:
The French verb rougir means "to blush" or "to turn red." It is used when a person's face becomes red, typically due to embarrassment, shyness, or sometimes anger.

Parts:

• The root "roug-" comes from rouge, which means "red."
• The suffix "-ir" indicates that this verb is in the second group of French verbs (those ending in -ir with a particular conjugation pattern).

Usage:

• Elle commence à rougir quand je la regarde.
  (She starts to blush when I look at her.)

• In a more physical sense, rougir can be used when something physically becomes red:
  La tomate commence à rougir sur la plante.
  (The tomato is beginning to turn red on the plant.)

Synonyms:

• Devenir rouge (to become red)
• Empourprer (more literary, to flush or crimson)

Antonyms:

• Pâlir (to turn pale) — the opposite physical change on the face, indicating fear or shock.

Summary:
Rougir primarily means "to blush" but can also mean "to turn red" in a general sense. It often describes a human emotional response causing redness, or sometimes refers to natural coloration changes.