[ ˌkɒtʃɪ'ni:l , 'kɒtʃɪni:l ]
■ noun
1》 a scarlet dye used for colouring food, made from the crushed dried bodies of a female scale insect.
2》 ( ~ insect ) the scale insect that is used for ~, native to Mexico and formerly widely cultivated on cacti. [ Dactylopius coccus .]
Origin
C16: from Fr. cochenille or Sp. cochinilla , from L. coccinus 'scarlet'.