vermilion
noun
a brilliant scarlet red.
vermilion
1 American
[ver-mil-yuhn]
/ vərˈmɪl yən /
Or
vermillion
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
verb (used with object)
Vermilion
2
American
[ver-mil-yuhn]
/ vərˈmɪl yən /
noun
vermilion
British
/ vəˈmɪljən /
noun
-
-
a bright red to reddish-orange colour
-
( as adjective )
a vermilion car
-
-
mercuric sulphide, esp when used as a bright red pigment; cinnabar
Etymology
Origin of vermilion
1250–1300; Middle English vermilioun, vermillon < Anglo-French, Old French verm ( e ) illon, equivalent to vermeil vermeil + -on noun suffix
Explanation
Vermilion is a deep, brilliant shade of red. You could describe your grandfather's reddish-orange scarf as vermilion. The specific pigment know as vermilion was originally made from mercury sulfide, a chemical compound that produces a deep red color. This kind of vermilion was most famously used in enameled Chinese lacquerware. However, you can use the word vermilion to describe anything that's a particularly deep, rich shade of red. The root word is the French vermeil, "bright red," from the Latin vermiculus, "a little worm," or the insect that was historically used to make red dyes.
Vocabulary lists containing vermilion
Speak
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!
The Picture of Dorian Gray
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!
Boy: Tales of Childhood
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
Gutierrez, who owns Vermilion Valley Resort, found Slaton around 2 p.m.
From Los Angeles Times • May 15, 2025
Many of these were condors that had roosted in Arizona’s Vermilion Cliffs, the same place where captive-bred birds were first released in 1996.
From Scientific American • Aug. 29, 2023
Canada's Vermilion Energy Inc on Monday lowered its current quarter production outlook due to a shut-in caused by the wildfires in West Central Alberta.
From Reuters • May 15, 2023
Along the Vermilion River in Illinois, it is seeping into unlined pits containing coal ash — a hazardous waste — and carrying heavy metals into drinking-water aquifers.
From Salon • Mar. 31, 2023
His family, the LaBranches, lived in Gueydan, a town in Vermilion Parish in Louisiana.
From "It All Comes Down to This" by Karen English
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.
