carmine

Where does the word "carmine" come from? It comes from Arabic qirmiz, passing through French before entering English (1500s).

Carmine’s story begins in Arabic: qirmiz meant “a red dye from insects.” A vivid red dye made from dried scale insects. By medieval, the word had taken hold in French as carmin. Carried into French dye and pigment vocabulary. It reached English by 1500s as carmine. Settled as the English word for the vivid red color. Today, carmine means a vivid red or crimson color, or the pigment producing it.

1. Stage 1 · Arabic · medieval qirmiz "a red dye from insects", a vivid red dye made from dried scale insects.
2. Stage 2 · French · medieval carmin "a vivid red pigment", carried into French dye and pigment vocabulary.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1500s carmine "a vivid red or crimson color", settled as the English word for the vivid red color.