crimson
Americanadjective
-
deep purplish-red.
noun
verb (used with or without object)
-
crimsons,
present (3rd person singular)
-
crimsoned,
past participle, past
-
crimsoning
present participle
noun
verb
-
to make or become crimson
-
(intr) to blush
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
crimsonsimple
-
crimsonssimple
-
have crimsonedperfect
-
has crimsonedperfect
-
am crimsoningprogressive
-
are crimsoningprogressive
-
is crimsoningprogressive
-
have been crimsoningperfect progressive
-
has been crimsoningperfect progressive
Past
-
crimsonedsimple
-
had crimsonedperfect
-
was crimsoningprogressive
-
were crimsoningprogressive
-
had been crimsoningperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of crimson
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English cremesin, cremesie, crensein, crim(e)sin, from Medieval Latin cremesīnus, ultimately from Arabic qirmizī, equivalent to qirmiz + -ī a suffix indicating relationship or origin; see origin at kermes; see also carmine, cramoisy
Explanation
Crimson is a deep, vivid shade of red. You could describe flowers, blood, or blushing cheeks as crimson. The ruby red color crimson shows up brilliantly in nature, in the form of flowers, birds, and insects. In fact, it was an insect that led to the word crimson in the first place; an insect called kermes was used for centuries to make a deep red dye, which was called cremesin in Old Spanish and eventually became crimson.
Vocabulary lists containing crimson
"The Great Gatsby," Chapter 1 Vocabulary
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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.
See Examples For:
Bird's nest fungi resemble miniature nests complete with tiny eggs, while the rare red cage fungus forms a vivid crimson lattice structure.
From BBC ● Sep. 27, 2026
"They even have make-up artists to help you," she said as she mounted a crimson superbike, wrapped her arms around her driver and sped off with a videographer in pursuit.
From Barron's ● Aug. 2, 2026
So back to this Thursday, and I am surrounded by other happy honorees in a bubbling brew of crimson robes and black caps.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 28, 2026
The dim crimson haze can be easy to overlook, but it is created by powerful activity taking place far above Earth.
From Science Daily ● May 22, 2026
The scale flashed in the sunlight, catching the sunshine and staining it crimson.
From Anya and the Dragon by Sofiya Pasternack
Sunsets will seem to happen in slow motion, the full pallet of pinks and crimsons and rouge-reds lingering for an hour.
From Slate ● Jul. 14, 2014
Courtiers stride by in the muted gold and crimsons of Piero della Francesca; cobblestones and horsemen diminish into the serene infinities of Uccello.
From Time Magazine Archive
The ballet chorus, dressed in autumn colors as peasants, in regal purples and crimsons as court maidens, in severe white as swans, made a gorgeous frame for the principal action.
From Time Magazine Archive
The lines were angularly primitive, the colors warm turquoise blues, smoldering crimsons, emerald greens, rich topaz yellows.
From Time Magazine Archive
The towering tents are striped in white and black, no golds and crimsons to be seen.
From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern
In perfect aesthetic juxtaposition, Gorey's costumes are funereal black, with ruby splashes in a proffered drink or a crimsoned pendant to accent the theme of Dracula's blood lust.
From Time Magazine Archive
Junior smirked, crimsoned under his tan, and refused to say.*
From Time Magazine Archive
William, child though he was, crimsoned to the roots of his brown hair.
From The Making of William Edwards or The Story of the Bridge of Beauty by Mrs. G. Linnaeus Banks
Mr. Lovell's quickened breathing, crimsoned cheeks, and flashing eyes seemed to suggest that his breast was a tumult of conflicting feelings.
From Amusement Only by Richard Marsh
The tips of the topmost trees were crimsoned, as if roses had bloomed at last on pines.
From What Will People Say? A novel by Rupert Hughes
“Truly a beautiful sight,” the periodical opined, “in direct contrast with the expanse of white, whether appearing in thinly scattered patches, or crimsoning the hills and plains for miles around.”
From Seattle Times ● Jul. 21, 2023
She lifted her head quickly, leaned back with hands caught tight in front of her, looked up into his face—her own crimsoning and paling as she took in the full meaning of it all.
From Erskine Dale?Pioneer by John Fox
The frames sagged with exhaustion at the task of holding up the weight of crimsoning globes that hung on the vines.
From The Camp Fire Girls at Onoway House or, The Magic Garden by Hildegard G. (Hildegard Gertrude) Frey
But the maid was crimsoning uncomfortably, for at this moment there arose the sound of some one playing the piano in the music room near by.
From The Camp Fire Girls Across the Seas by Margaret Vandercook
Her head drooped until her brown curls half hid her crimsoning face, and her voice was low and troubled.
From The Delafield Affair by Florence Finch Kelly
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