Rubric Meaning
/ˈɹuːbɹɪk/Definition, CEFR level B2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounA heading in a book highlighted in red.
nounA title of a category or a class.
Sentence Examples
Was there an assessment rubric?
The teacher handed a rubric for the assignment to the students.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
None
CEFR Practice Quiz
The teacher used a ____ to grade the essay, listing specific criteria.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The teacher explained the grading ____ so students understood how their essays would be assessed.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English rubriche, rubrike, from Old French rubrique, from Latin rūbrīca (“red ochre”), the substance used to make red letters, from ruber (“red”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₁rewdʰ-.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"And in one swoop, the Attorney General conceded to the president nearly unlimited power, just as long as he finds a lawyer willing to stuff his actions into the boundless rubric of “defending the country.”"
— 2008, Chris Dodd, Senator Dodd Speaks in Opposition to FISA Bill on Floor of U.S. Senate:
"All the clergy in England solemnly pledge themselves to observe the rubrics."
— 1842, Walter Hook, Church Dictionary:
"Let Comus rise Archbishop of the land;
Let him your rubric and your feasts prescribe"
— 1782, William Cowper, “Progress of Error”, in Poems, London: […] J[oseph] Johnson, […], →OCLC:
"Through processes such as “reinforcement learning with human feedback,” which enlists people to grade AI outputs against a rubric, models are guided toward responses that exemplify desired traits."
— 2026 March 17, Jasmine Sun, “The Human Skill That Eludes AI”, in Jeffrey Goldberg, editor, The Atlantic, Washington, D.C.: The Atlantic Monthly Group, →ISSN, →OCLC:
"“It is diabolical for banks and asset managers to invest billions in major fossil fuel companies under the rubric of ‘green investing’ when we need to accelerate investments in non- and low-carbon energy, in carbon efficiency, and in carbon removal technologies,” said Richard Heede at the Climate Accountability Institute."
— 2025 May 18, Damian Carrington, Giorgio Michalopoulos, Stefano Valentino, “Revealed: European ‘green’ investments hold billions in fossil fuel majors”, in Katharine Viner, editor, The Guardian, London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC:
Explore More B2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The teacher used a ____ to grade the essay, listing specific criteria.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The teacher explained the grading ____ so students understood how their essays would be assessed.