ker·mes (kûr m z)n. A red dyestuff once prepared from the dried bodies of various female scale insects of the genus Kermes. [French kermès, short for alkermès, from Arabic al-qirmiz, the kermes, probably from Sanskrit k  mi-ja-, (red dye) produced by worms; see kw mi- in Indo-European roots.] |
kermes [ˈkɜːmɪz]
n
1. (Clothing, Personal Arts & Crafts / Dyeing) the dried bodies of female scale insects of the genus Kermes, esp K. ilices of Europe and W Asia, used as a red dyestuff
2. (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Plants) a small evergreen Eurasian oak tree, Quercus coccifera, with prickly leaves resembling holly: the host plant of kermes scale insects
[from French kermès, from Arabic qirmiz, from Sanskrit krmija- red dye, literally: produced by a worm, from krmi worm + ja- produced]
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