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vermilion

or ver·mil·lion

[ ver-mil-yuhn ]
/ vərˈmɪl yən /
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noun
a brilliant scarlet red.
a bright-red, water-insoluble pigment consisting of mercuric sulfide, once obtained from cinnabar, now usually produced by the reaction of mercury and sulfur.
adjective
of the color vermilion.
verb (used with object)
to color with or as if with vermilion.
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Origin of vermilion

1250–1300; Middle English vermilioun, vermillon<Anglo-French, Old French verm(e)illon, equivalent to vermeilvermeil + -on noun suffix

Words nearby vermilion

vermiculture, vermiform, vermiform appendix, vermiform process, vermifuge, vermilion, vermilion rockfish, vermin, verminate, vermination, verminous

Other definitions for vermilion (2 of 2)

Vermilion
[ ver-mil-yuhn ]
/ vərˈmɪl yən /
noun
a town in N Ohio.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Words related to vermilion

cardinal, coral, crimson, flaming, glowing, maroon, rose, wine, blooming, blush, brick, burgundy, carmine, cerise, cherry, chestnut, claret, copper, dahlia, fuchsia

How to use vermilion in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for vermilion

vermilion

vermillion

/ (vəˈmɪljən) /
noun
  1. a bright red to reddish-orange colour
  2. (as adjective)a vermilion car
mercuric sulphide, esp when used as a bright red pigment; cinnabar

Word Origin for vermilion

C13: from Old French vermeillon, from vermeil
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
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