KERMES

Kermes

Kermes is a red dye derived from the dried bodies of the females of a scale insect in the genus Kermes, primarily Kermes vermilio. The insects live on the sap of certain trees, especially Kermes oak tree near the Mediterranean region. The English color names crimson and carmine are derived from the word kermes, and many other languages have a word for "red" that is derived from kermes due to the widespread use of this dye in medieval times and the rich red color that it yields. The dye is of ancient origin; jars of kermes have been found in a Neolithic cave-burial at Adaoutse, Bouches-du-Rhône.

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kermes

Noun

  1. any of several insects of the genus Kermes
  2. Crimson dye made from the crushed bodies of these insects


The above text is a snippet from Wiktionary: kermes
and as such is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

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