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Glite Dictionary
red-brick

red-brick

2 6.8
A British university founded in the late 1800s or early 1900s, not one of the older universities
  • adjective
  • /ˈrɛd.brɪk/
  • UK
translation icon : universidad de ladrillo rojo
  • Many of the newer universities are known for their red-brick architecture and vibrant campus life.
  • red-brick building
  • red-brick house
  • red-brick tower

Examples

  • The campus features several red-brick buildings that were constructed in the early 1900s.

  • Students enjoy studying in the historic red-brick library that was founded in 1892.

  • The car stops in front of the small red brick elementary school.

    Fiction book (2002)

  • By choice, Matthew spent most of his time at home or in his office, a red-brick building across from the library.

    Fiction book (1996)

  • Then suddenly, through the trees, I saw the red brick, Italianate tower of Main Building.

    Fiction book (2002)

  • The first-floor front in one of those ancient red-brick buildings.

    Fiction book (1991)

  • Other children still pile out of the two-story red-brick building.

    Fiction book (1996)

  • They bought a small red-brick house in a village outside Reading, within commuting distance of London.

    Fiction book (1991)

  • I noticed that creeping tendrils had invaded the red-brick walls.

    Fiction book (1995)

  • Dr. Wick Sachs lived in a stately red-brick house set back on one of the highest hills.

    Fiction book (1995)

Synonyms

redbrick
vsred-brick
  • UK
7.3

Related to British universities founded in the late 1800s and early 1900s, especially those outside Oxford and Cambridge

is the hyphenated adjective form for those institutions and their character
redbrick university
vsred-brick
  • UK
6.8

A British university founded in a city in the late 1800s or early 1900s with red brick buildings

is an adjective describing those institutions rather than naming one

Surface Forms

red-brick positive

Morphology

red-brick = red + brick (semi-transparent) = red + brick

Formally a straightforward compound 'red' + 'brick', but the specialized British sense 'red-brick university' is a metaphorical extension from buildings to a class of institutions and may not be obvious to all learners.

Etymology

The word red-brick comes from the simple parts red and brick because many newer British universities were built from red bricks in the late 1800s and early 1900s. So red-brick now means a university founded then, rather than the older stone colleges like Oxford or Cambridge.