cochineal

coch·i·neal  (kch-nl, kch-nl, kch-, kch-)

n.

1. A red dye made of the dried and pulverized bodies of female cochineal insects. It is used as a biological stain and as an indicator in acid-base titrations.

2. A vivid red.

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[French cochenille, from Spanish cochinilla, cochineal insect, probably from Vulgar Latin *coccinella, from feminine diminutive of Latin coccinus, scarlet, from Greek kokkinos, from kokkos, kermes berry (from its use in making scarlet dye).]

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cochi·neal adj.

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cochineal

Noun

a scarlet dye obtained from a Mexican insect, used for colouring food [Greek kokkos kermes berry]

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	cochineal - a red dyestuff consisting of dried bodies of female cochineal insects dye, dyestuff - a usually soluble substance for staining or coloring e.g. fabrics or hair
	2.	cochineal - Mexican red scale insect that feeds on cacti; the source of a red dye cochineal insect, Dactylopius coccus scale insect - small homopterous insect that usually lives and feeds on plants and secretes a protective waxy covering Dactylopius, genus Dactylopius - type genus of the Dactylopiidae