cochineal

[ koch-uh-neel, koh-chuh-, koch-uh-neel, koh-chuh- ]

/ ˌkɒtʃ əˈnil, ˌkoʊ tʃə-, ˈkɒtʃ əˌnil, ˈkoʊ tʃə- /

Save This Word!

noun

a red dye prepared from the dried bodies of the females of the cochineal insect, Dactylopius coccus, which lives on cactuses of Mexico, Central America, and other warm regions.

QUIZ

FIRE UP YOUR VOCAB FOR A "RED" SYNONYMS QUIZ

No fire engine reds here, only a fierce collection of vibrant words for the color red to test yourself on.

Question 1 of 7

What does "amaranth" mean?

a legendary stone of impenetrable hardness

an imaginary, undying flower

a mythical creature

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Meet Grammar Coach

Write or paste your essay, email, or story into Grammar Coach and get grammar help

Improve Your Writing

Meet Grammar CoachImprove Your Writing

Origin of cochineal

1575–85; <Middle French cochinille<Spanish cochinilla the insect; of obscure origin; perhaps to be identified with Spanish cochinilla sow bug (assuming a likeness between it and the female cochineal insect), diminutive of cochina sow, but chronology is doubtful

Words nearby cochineal

cochairperson, coch. amp., co-channel, cochin, Cochin-China, cochineal, cochineal cactus, cochineal insect, Cochise, cochlea, cochlear aqueduct

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

How to use cochineal in a sentence

For example, that big kerfuffle when it was discovered that Starbucks was using ground up cochineal bugs to color one of its red drinks.
Why We Should Eat Crickets. And Other Bug Ideas - Facts So Romantic|Mary Ellen Hannibal|October 2, 2020|Nautilus
Most ice creams, yogurts, chapsticks, and candies already use cochineal insects for coloring.
Forget the Starbucks Backlash—We Should Be Eating More Bugs|Daniel Stone|April 24, 2012|DAILY BEAST
Cotton was also grown and brilliant garments woven from it which were dyed with cochineal and pigments formed from various plants.
Guatemala, the country of the future|Charles M. Pepper
The color is a brick red, neither the cochineal or pink previously used.
History of the Postage Stamps of the United States of America|John Kerr Tiffany

Aniline-red or cochineal-carmine may be added to improve the color of chopped or ground meats.
Detection of the Common Food Adulterants|Edwin M. Bruce
Aniline red and cochineal carmine are usually employed for this purpose.
Detection of the Common Food Adulterants|Edwin M. Bruce
Cochineal, if present, will produce a characteristic emerald-green color.
Detection of the Common Food Adulterants|Edwin M. Bruce

British Dictionary definitions for cochineal

cochineal

/ (ˌkɒtʃɪˈniːl, ˈkɒtʃɪˌniːl) /

noun

Also called: cochineal insect a Mexican homopterous insect, Dactylopius coccus, that feeds on cacti

a crimson substance obtained from the crushed bodies of these insects, used for colouring food and for dyeing

the colour of this dye
(as adjective)cochineal shoes

Word Origin for cochineal

C16: from Old Spanish cochinilla, from Latin coccineus scarlet-coloured, from coccum cochineal kermes, from Greek kokkos kermes berry

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Medical definitions for cochineal

cochineal

[ kŏch′ə-nēl′, kŏch′ə-nēl′, kō′chə-nēl′, kō′chə-nēl′ ]

A red dye made of dried, pulverized female cochineal insects and used as a biological stain and as an indicator in acid-base titrations.