vermilion
A vivid red synthetic pigment made of mercury sulfide, cinnabarA vivid red synthetic pigment made of mercury sulfide, cinnabar.
» Vermilion is made from cinnabar, which is toxic.
Meaning
6 senses(countable, uncountable)A vivid red synthetic pigment made of mercury sulfide, cinnabar.
Zinnober
вермильо́нvermilʹón, ки́новарьkínovarʹ
(countable, uncountable)A bright orange-red colour.
я́рко-кра́сныйjárko-krásnyj, а́лыйályj
цино́бровийcynóbrovyj, кіноварнийkinovarnyj
a variable color that is vivid red but sometimes with an orange tinge
(countable, uncountable)A type of red dye worn in the parting of the hair by married Hindu women.
(countable, uncountable)The red skin of the lips or its border with the skin of the face.
(countable, obsolete, uncountable)The kermes or cochineal insect.
(countable, obsolete, uncountable)The cochineal dye made from this insect.
Examples
5 sentencesVermilion is made from cinnabar, which is toxic.
It's a lovely vermilion color.
We're lucky to live in an era where we don't have to rely on toxic pigments like vermilion or Paris green.
Vermilion is one the signifiers of Chinese culture.
Artificial vermilion is also made both in China and in this country from a mixture of sulphur and mercury.
Translations
8 languagesBy meaning 1
By meaning 2
By meaning 1
Origin
From Middle English vermelioun, vermyloun, vermylon, vermilun, from Old French vermeillonFrom 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.
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Forms
plural: vermilionsSynonyms
3 synonyms- a variable color that is vivid red but sometimes with an orange tinge:scarletorange red
Word family
6 related wordsLessons for this word
1 lessons- A1Countable and uncountable nouns — Because it can be uncountable