KERMES


Meaning of KERMES in English

[ 'kə:mɪz ]

■ noun a red dye obtained from the dried bodies of a scale insect ( Kermes illicis ) which makes berry-like galls on the ~ oak.

Origin

C16 (denoting the ~ oak): from Fr. kermès , from Arab. ḳirmiz ; related to crimson .

Concise Oxford English vocab.      Сжатый оксфордский словарь английского языка.