kermes

[ kur-meez ]

noun

1. 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.
2. the oak itself, of the genus Quercus coccifera.

kermes

/ ˈkɜːmɪz /

noun

1. the dried bodies of female scale insects of the genus Kermes, esp K. ilices of Europe and W Asia, used as a red dyestuff
2. a small evergreen Eurasian oak tree, Quercus coccifera , with prickly leaves resembling holly: the host plant of kermes scale insects

Word History and Origins

Origin of kermes¹

1590–1600; < French kermès < Arabic qirmiz < Persian; replacing earlier chermez < Italian chermes < Arabic as above; crimson

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

Example Sentences

Also three-dimensional, but too delicate to be displayed on the street, are Sanzi Kermes’s jewel-like paper pyramids, screen-printed, folded origami-style and suspended on strings.

From Washington Post

Before manufacturers could produce them artificially, reds came from minerals, bugs, plants: madder root, kermes, cochineal, brazil wood, cinnabar.

From Slate

Among the least traditional in form or technique are Richard Paul Weiblinger’s neon-hue, photographic close-ups of flowers; Jackie Hoysted’s colorful constructions of silver metal and painted wooden circles; and Sanzi Kermes’s mobiles of painted-paper lozenges in various sizes.

From Washington Post

Red cloth in this period was dyed using four main dyestuffs - madder, kermes, cochineal and lichen dyes.

From BBC

Of these the most expensive was kermes, a dye made from the desiccated bodies of insects, which produced a luscious, deep crimson.

From BBC