noun
carmine
KAH-myn
noun
1
A deep purplish-red pigment or dye, traditionally made from crushed cochineal insects.
"The artist mixed carmine with white to get a softer rose tone."
"Carmine has been used as a natural food and cosmetic colorant for centuries."
adjective
1
Of a deep purplish-red colour.
"She painted her lips a bold carmine shade."
"The sunset faded from carmine to violet."
How to Use Carmine
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA rich red-pink colour, and the pigment used to make it, originally derived from insects rather than plants or minerals.
Common mistake
Carmine, crimson, and scarlet are all reddish but not interchangeable — carmine leans more purple-red than scarlet, which is more orange-red.
Common pairings
carmine red
carmine dye
carmine pigment
Word Forms
carmines plural, Carmines plural
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Etymology
From French carmin, traced back through Arabic and Persian words for the crimson dye "kermes," ultimately from a root meaning "worm" — a nod to the insect the pigment was made from.