cinnabar
Americannoun
-
a mineral, mercuric sulfide, HgS, occurring in red crystals or masses: the principal ore of mercury.
-
red mercuric sulfide, used as a pigment.
-
bright red; vermillion.
noun
-
a bright red or brownish-red mineral form of mercuric sulphide (mercury(II) sulphide), found close to areas of volcanic activity and hot springs. It is the main commercial source of mercury. Formula: HgS. Crystal structure: hexagonal
-
the red form of mercuric sulphide (mercury(II) sulphide), esp when used as a pigment
-
a bright red to reddish-orange; vermilion
-
a large red-and-black European moth, Callimorpha jacobaeae: family Arctiidae (tiger moths, etc)
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of cinnabar
1350–1400; < Latin cinnabaris < Greek kinnábari < ?; replacing Middle English cynoper < Medieval Latin, Latin as above
Vocabulary lists containing cinnabar
Red
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Orange
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Egyptians thought green copper ore helped eye inflammation, the Chinese used cinnabar for heartburn, and Native Americans used clay to reduce soreness and inflammation.
From Science Daily • May 31, 2024
With a microscope, the researchers also found a rust reddish pigment on the ornaments—likely cinnabar or hematite that were sprinkled or painted on the bodies of deceased royals as part of burial rites.
From Science Magazine • Apr. 17, 2024
"Ober in history has been the mine from which Kresevo miners had extracted cinnabar and melted it to get gold," said Marija.
From Reuters • May 11, 2023
Never mind the adjective, I was mercury: quicksilver, Hg, hydrargyrum, ore of cinnabar, resistant to herding, incapable of assuming a fixed form.
From Salon • Oct. 22, 2022
His clothes, still slightly damp from their recent washing, had returned to their usual cinnabar color.
From "When the Sea Turned to Silver" by Grace Lin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
