crimson
Americanadjective
-
deep purplish-red.
noun
verb (used with or without object)
-
crimsons,
present (3rd person singular)
-
crimsoned,
past participle, past
-
crimsoning
present participle
noun
verb
-
to make or become crimson
-
(intr) to blush
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
crimsonsimple
-
crimsonssimple
-
have crimsonedperfect
-
has crimsonedperfect
-
am crimsoningprogressive
-
are crimsoningprogressive
-
is crimsoningprogressive
-
have been crimsoningperfect progressive
-
has been crimsoningperfect progressive
Past
-
crimsonedsimple
-
had crimsonedperfect
-
was crimsoningprogressive
-
were crimsoningprogressive
-
had been crimsoningperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of crimson
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English cremesin, cremesie, crensein, crim(e)sin, from Medieval Latin cremesīnus, ultimately from Arabic qirmizī, equivalent to qirmiz + -ī a suffix indicating relationship or origin; see origin at kermes; see also carmine, cramoisy
Explanation
Crimson is a deep, vivid shade of red. You could describe flowers, blood, or blushing cheeks as crimson. The ruby red color crimson shows up brilliantly in nature, in the form of flowers, birds, and insects. In fact, it was an insect that led to the word crimson in the first place; an insect called kermes was used for centuries to make a deep red dye, which was called cremesin in Old Spanish and eventually became crimson.
Vocabulary lists containing crimson
"The Great Gatsby," Chapter 1 Vocabulary
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Frindle
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Red
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
"They even have make-up artists to help you," she said as she mounted a crimson superbike, wrapped her arms around her driver and sped off with a videographer in pursuit.
From Barron's ● Aug. 2, 2026
The nebula's brilliant crimson glow comes from hydrogen alpha emissions, a telltale sign that new stars are actively forming.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 5, 2026
So back to this Thursday, and I am surrounded by other happy honorees in a bubbling brew of crimson robes and black caps.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 28, 2026
Chase Infiniti, who plays Leonardo DiCaprio's daughter in One Battle After Another, wore a sculpted, deep crimson dress which flared out beautifully at the bottom.
From BBC ● Feb. 22, 2026
When the flames catch they are bright and crimson.
From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern
Sunsets will seem to happen in slow motion, the full pallet of pinks and crimsons and rouge-reds lingering for an hour.
From Slate ● Jul. 14, 2014
Decked in calm crimsons, blues and yellows, like their 13th Century counterparts, Mr. Saint's saints & sinners glowed from the glass with equal clarity.
From Time Magazine Archive
The lines were angularly primitive, the colors warm turquoise blues, smoldering crimsons, emerald greens, rich topaz yellows.
From Time Magazine Archive
The ballet chorus, dressed in autumn colors as peasants, in regal purples and crimsons as court maidens, in severe white as swans, made a gorgeous frame for the principal action.
From Time Magazine Archive
The towering tents are striped in white and black, no golds and crimsons to be seen.
From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern
Junior smirked, crimsoned under his tan, and refused to say.*
From Time Magazine Archive
In perfect aesthetic juxtaposition, Gorey's costumes are funereal black, with ruby splashes in a proffered drink or a crimsoned pendant to accent the theme of Dracula's blood lust.
From Time Magazine Archive
Ellis opened the window, and leant out her head; Harleigh, clapping his hand upon his crimsoned forehead, walked with hasty steps round the little apartment.
From The Wanderer (Volume 1 of 5) or, Female Difficulties by Burney, Fanny
William, child though he was, crimsoned to the roots of his brown hair.
From The Making of William Edwards or The Story of the Bridge of Beauty by Banks, Mrs. G. Linnaeus
He, crimsoned, breathless, pleased as if with a victory won, looked round: "Then don't worry yourself!" he said.
From Autumn Glory The Toilers of the Field by Bazin, Ren?
“Truly a beautiful sight,” the periodical opined, “in direct contrast with the expanse of white, whether appearing in thinly scattered patches, or crimsoning the hills and plains for miles around.”
From Seattle Times ● Jul. 21, 2023
“For me, uncle?” she cried, crimsoning to the parting of her hair.
From Eli's Children The Chronicles of an Unhappy Family by Fenn, George Manville
"Where the deuce did you pick up that girl, Marc?" asked he, as we stood looking at the sun setting over the woods of Essellau, and crimsoning the western clouds.
From Beatrice Boville and Other Stories by Ouida
The frames sagged with exhaustion at the task of holding up the weight of crimsoning globes that hung on the vines.
From The Camp Fire Girls at Onoway House or, The Magic Garden by Frey, Hildegard G. (Hildegard Gertrude)
Lilian wondered, with a crimsoning of her face, whether she had betrayed the relief she certainly experienced on discovering that his injuries were not serious; and then she closed the window with somewhat unnecessary violence.
From The League of the Leopard by Bindloss, Harold
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
