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
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. 2022
How to use vermilion in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for vermilion
vermilion
vermillion
/ (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
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
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