Scarlet Was a Cloth Before It Was a Colour
Scarlet is a brilliant red. The word first named a fine cloth, which was often but not always dyed that colour.
Scarlet is a vivid red with a hint of orange. The word did not begin as a colour: in medieval England *scarlet* was an expensive woollen cloth, and it could be blue or green. Because the finest was dyed a brilliant red with kermes insects, the name transferred from the fabric to the shade.
- A brilliant red. *A scarlet coat.*
- Scarlet fever — a bacterial illness with a red rash. *Scarlet fever is now treatable.*
- Scarlet in phrases. *Scarlet with embarrassment.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | scarlet | A deep scarlet. |
| Adjective | scarlet | Scarlet berries. |
| Compound | scarlet fever | A case of scarlet fever. |
| Related | crimson | Deep crimson. |
| Related | vermilion | Bright vermilion. |
How it is used in a sentence
- The uniform was scarlet with gold facings.Military dress.
- She turned scarlet.Blushing.
- Scarlet fever was once a major killer of children.Antibiotics changed that.
Shades of red
- Scarlet — bright red, slightly orange
- Crimson — deep red, slightly blue
- Vermilion — orange-red, from a mineral pigment
- Maroon — dark brownish red
- Carmine — a red made from cochineal insects
From Old French *escarlate*, from Medieval Latin *scarlatum*, probably from a Persian word for a rich cloth. The colour sense is the later development.
Scarlet or crimson?
Scarlet leans towards orange, crimson towards blue. Painters and heralds keep them apart carefully.
What is scarlet fever?
An illness caused by streptococcal bacteria, marked by a red rash and sore throat. It is treated with antibiotics.