Crimson: A Deep Red Named After an Insect
Crimson is a rich deep red with a hint of blue. The name traces back to the kermes insect, from which the dye was originally made.
Crimson is a strong red tending towards purple. Its name records where the colour came from: the kermes, a scale insect crushed to make dye. Several of the great reds of history are insect colours, and crimson is the one whose name kept the secret.
- A deep red colour. *Crimson curtains.*
- To turn red (verb, literary). *Her face crimsoned.*
- Blood-red, in figurative use. *A crimson sunset.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | crimson | A shade of crimson. |
| Adjective | crimson | A crimson banner. |
| Verb | crimson | He crimsoned with shame. |
| Related | scarlet | Scarlet fever. |
| Related | carmine | Carmine pigment. |
How it is used in a sentence
- The leaves turned crimson in October.The colour sense.
- Crimson is the colour of Harvard University.And the name of its student newspaper.
- She flushed crimson.Deep blushing — a literary favourite.
Reds, distinguished
- Crimson — deep red with a blue undertone
- Scarlet — bright red with an orange undertone
- Vermilion — bright orange-red, historically from mercury sulphide
- Carmine — the dye from cochineal insects, still used in food
- Maroon — dark brownish red, from the French for chestnut
From Old Spanish *cremesin*, from Arabic *qirmiz*, the kermes insect. Cochineal, a New World insect, later replaced kermes and gave the deeper carmine that most crimson dyes now use.
Crimson or scarlet?
Crimson is deeper and cooler, leaning to purple. Scarlet is brighter and warmer, leaning to orange.
Is carmine still made from insects?
Yes. Cochineal extract is still used as a food and cosmetic colouring, which is why some products are not suitable for vegans.