I. ˈkärmə̇n, ˈkȧm-, -ˌmīn also -ˌmēn noun
( -s )
Etymology: French carmin, from Medieval Latin carminium, irregular from Arabic qirmiz kermes + Latin minium — more at crimson , minium
1.
a. : a vivid red lake consisting essentially of an aluminum salt of carminic acid made from cochineal usually by treatment with water and alum and used as a biological stain and as coloring in foods, drugs, and cosmetics — see dye table 1 (under Natural Red 4 )
b. : any of certain other coloring matters (as indigo carmine)
2. or carmine lake : a vivid red that is bluer and darker than apple red, bluer and duller than pimento or Castilian red, bluer and less strong than madder crimson, and bluer and darker than scarlet — called also animal rouge, lake, Munich lake, Roman lake, Venetian lake, Vienna lake
II. transitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
: to make carmine in color : add or apply carmine to