Advertisement
Advertisement
kermes
[ kur-meez ]
noun
- a red dye formerly prepared from the dried bodies of the females of a scale insect, Kermes ilices, which lives on small, evergreen oaks of the Mediterranean region.
- the oak itself, of the genus Quercus coccifera.
kermes
/ ˈkɜːmɪz /
noun
- the dried bodies of female scale insects of the genus Kermes, esp K. ilices of Europe and W Asia, used as a red dyestuff
- a small evergreen Eurasian oak tree, Quercus coccifera , with prickly leaves resembling holly: the host plant of kermes scale insects
Discover More
Word History and Origins
Discover More
Word History and Origins
Origin of kermes1
C16: from French kermès, from Arabic qirmiz, from Sanskrit krmija- red dye, literally: produced by a worm, from krmi worm + ja- produced
Discover More
Example Sentences
In the Middle Ages the dye from the kermes was still called “vermiculata,” of which the word vermilion is a literal translation.
From Project Gutenberg
The mineral red now called vermilion must have borrowed its name from the insect dye which the Greeks and Romans called “kermes.”
From Project Gutenberg
The Polish kermes (Coccus polonicus) was formerly used very much in Europe.
From Project Gutenberg
"Grain," therefore, meant a dye of such red as might be produced by the use of kermes or coccum.
From Project Gutenberg
After the discovery of America, cochineal having been introduced, began to supersede kermes for all brilliant red dyes.
From Project Gutenberg
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Browse