kermes Hear it!

kermes definition

ker·mes (kʉrmēz′)

noun

  1. the dried bodies of the females of certain soft scale insects (genus Kermes), used for making a purple-red dye
  2. this dye
  3. a small, evergreen Mediterranean oak (Quercus coccifera) on which the kermes insects are found

Etymology: Fr kermès < Ar & Pers qirmiz: see carmine

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

Comments
Improve this definition.
Do you have more to add? Share your linguistic knowledge or observation.
/Register to save your comments.