Kermes definition
A red dyestuff once prepared from the dried bodies of various female scale insects of the genus Kermes.
noun
The dried bodies of the females of certain soft scale insects (genus Kermes), used for making a purple-red dye.
noun
This dye.
noun
A small, evergreen Mediterranean oak (Quercus coccifera) on which the kermes insects are found.
noun
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Alternative Forms
Alternative Form of kermes -
chermes
Origin of kermes
- French kermès short for alkermès from Arabic al-qirmiz the kermes probably from Sanskrit kṛmi-ja- (red dye) produced by worms kwr̥mi- in Indo-European roots
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition