rubicon
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Rubicon¹
- /ˈɹuːbɪkɒn/ UK
- /-k(ə)n/ UK
- /ˈɹubəˌkɑn/ US
Where it comes from
From Latin Rubicō, Rubicōn (“the Rubicon”), possibly from rubeus (“red, reddish”), from rubeō (“to be red”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₁rewdʰ- (“red”), an allusion to the colour of the river caused by mud deposits.
proper noun
- A small river in northeastern Italy which flowed into the Adriatic Sea marking the boundary between the Roman province of Gaul and the Roman heartland. Its crossing by Julius Caesar in 49 B.C.E. began a civil war.
- The same river in the present day, identified with a river previously named Fiumicino.
- A locality in the Shire of Murrindindi, central eastern Victoria, Australia.
noun Rubicons
- Alternative letter-case form of rubicon (“a limit that when exceeded, or an action that when taken, cannot be reversed; especially in bezique and piquet: a score which, if not achieved by a losing player, increases the player's penalty”). Fortunately for England ſhe is yet on the peaceable ſide of the Rubicon; but as the flames once kindled are not alway eaſily extinguiſhed, the hopes of peace are not ſo clear as before the late myſterious diſpute began.
rubicon²
- /ˈɹuːbɪkɒn/ UK
- /-k(ə)n/ UK
- /ˈɹubəˌkɑn/ US
Where it comes from
The noun is derived from the phrase cross the Rubicon (“to make an irreversible decision or to take an action with consequences”). Julius Caesar’s crossing of the Rubicon, a small river in northeastern Italy, on 10 January 49 B.C.E., indicated his intention to start a civil war with Pompey. Rubicon is derived from Latin Rubicō, Rubicōn (“the Rubicon”), possibly from rubeus (“red, reddish”), from rubeō (“to be red”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₁rewdʰ- (“red”), an allusion to the colour of the river caused by mud deposits.
The verb is derived from the noun.
noun rubicons · Rubicon
-
A limit that when surpassed cannot be returned from, or an action that when taken cannot be reversed.
Fortunately for England ſhe is yet on the peaceable ſide of the Rubicon; but as the flames once kindled are not alway eaſily extinguiſhed, the hopes of peace are not ſo clear as before the late myſterious diſpute began.
Similar: point of no return
- Especially in bezique and piquet: a score which, if not achieved by a losing player, increases the player's penalty. The game is called a double, and you score 200 instead of 100 when your adversary does not get 100, which, in technical language, is called crossing the Rubicon.
verb rubicons · rubiconing · rubiconed
- Especially in bezique and piquet: to defeat a player who has not achieved the rubicon. A curious score was made in a game of piquet with one of the ladies. [...] In the fifth hand she made a piquet and capot, scoring 121 to 0, and in the sixth hand, being the minor, she made a repiquet, taking all but the last trick, counting 111 to 3, totalling 270, and rubiconing her opponent at 99,
Translations
Talk about this word "rubicon." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/rubicon. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. rubicon. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/rubicon "rubicon." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/rubicon.Cite this
@misc{rubicon_2026,
title = {rubicon},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/rubicon},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
