vermilion

CEFRB2

/vəˈmɪl.jən/

noun · adjective

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    noun

    A bright red color.

  2. 02

    adjective

    Bright red in color.

Examples

  • Vermilion is made from cinnabar, which is toxic.

  • Vermilion is one the signifiers of Chinese culture.

At a glance

Sits at B2 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
2
Citations
4
Synonyms
1

Deep Dive

noun

Extra meanings

  1. A bright orange-red colour.

  2. A type of red dye worn in the parting of the hair by married Hindu women.

  3. A vivid red synthetic pigment made of mercury sulfide, cinnabar.

More examples

In context

  • Fanny was very pretty; her eyes were dark and brilliant, her teeth were like little pearls; her mouth was almost as red as Mademoiselle Caracoline’s when the latter had put on her vermilion.

Synonyms

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Origin

noun

From Middle English vermelioun, vermyloun, vermylon, vermilun, from Old French vermeillon (“vermilion”), from vermeil, from Latin vermiculus (“little worm”), from vermis (“worm”), ultimately in reference to Kermes vermilio, a type of scale insect used to make a crimson dye. Displaced native Old English bōcrēad.