orchil

[ awr-kil, -chil ]

/ ˈɔr kɪl, -tʃɪl /

noun

a violet coloring matter obtained from certain lichens, chiefly species of Roccella.

any lichen yielding this dye.

Nearby words

orchidology, orchidometer, orchidotomy, orchiectomy, orchiepididymitis, orchil, orchio-, orchiocele, orchiopathy, orchiopexy, orchioplasty

Origin of orchil

Borrowed into English from Old French around 1475–85

Also called archil, orseille.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for orchil

Orchil is applied to wool by the simple process of boiling it in a neutral or slightly acid solution of the colouring matter.
Vegetable Dyes|Ethel M. Mairet
"He seems to be inside this deal," ventured Orchil with his suave smile.
The Younger Set|Robert W. Chambers
It is dyed in orchil first, and then made bluer, and somewhat more secure, by being soused in a well-soaped alkaline mixture.
The International Monthly, Volume 5, No. 4, April, 1852|Various
"Captain Selwyn is perfectly right," observed Orchil coolly.
The Younger Set|Robert W. Chambers

Turmeric, orchil, catechu, and indigo carmine are all extremely fugitive.
Scientific American Supplement, No. 810, July 11, 1891|Various

British Dictionary definitions for orchil

orchil

archil

/ (ˈɔːkɪl, -tʃɪl) /

noun

any of various lichens, esp any of the genera Roccella, Dendrographa, and Lecanora

Also called: cudbear a purplish dye obtained by treating these lichens with aqueous ammonia: contains orcinol, orcein, and litmus

Word Origin for orchil

C15: from Old French orcheil, of uncertain origin

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