vermilion

Meanings

Noun

• A vivid red synthetic pigment made of mercury sulfide, cinnabar.
• A bright orange-red colour.
• A type of red dye worn in the parting of the hair by married Hindu women.
• The red skin of the lips or its border with the skin of the face.
• The kermes or cochineal insect.
• The cochineal dye made from this insect.

Adjective

• Having a brilliant red colour.
• Having the color of the vermilion dye.

Verb

• To color or paint vermilion.

Origin

• From Middle English vermelioun, vermyloun, vermylon, vermilun, from Old French vermeillon, from vermeil, from Latin vermiculus, from vermis, ultimately in reference to Kermes vermilio (species), a type of scale insect used to make a crimson dye.