Vermillion
/vərˈmɪl.jən/noun
A vivid red pigment or color.
Did you know?The word ultimately comes from Latin *vermiculus*, a diminutive of *vermis* “worm,” because the red dye was linked to insect-based color sources long before modern pigments.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*wr̥mis
“worm”
Latin
Latin
vermis
“worm”
Late Latin
Latin
vermiculum
“little worm; red dye made from insect sources”
Old French
Old French
vermeil
“bright red; vermilion”
Middle English
English
vermilion
“red pigment, bright red color”
Modern English
English
vermillion
“a vivid red pigment or color”
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