carmine Hear it!

carmine definition

car·mine (kär′min, -mīn′)

noun

  1. a red or purplish-red pigment obtained mainly from cochineal
  2. its color

Etymology: Fr carmin < ML carminium < Ar qirmiz, crimson (< Sans kṛimiǧā, insect-produced < kṛmi, worm, insect: the dye comes from crushed insects: see cochineal); form infl. by L minium, cinnabar red

adjective

red or purplish-red; crimson

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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