ˈkächəˌnēl, ˌ ̷ ̷ ̷ ̷ˈ ̷ ̷ sometimes -ōch-, esp bef pause or cons -nēəl noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle French & Spanish; Middle French cochenille, from Old Spanish cochinilla cochineal, wood louse
1.
a. : a red dyestuff consisting of the dried bodies of females of the cochineal insect that is obtained in various grades (as silver cochineal and black cochineal, according to whether dry heat or boiling water is used to kill the insects) and that was formerly used as a mordant wool dye and food color and is now used as a biological stain and as an indicator — see carmine , carminic acid ; dye table I (under Natural Red 4 )
b. : a synthetic product resembling cochineal — see dye table I (under Acid Red 18 )
2. : castilian red
3.
[by shortening]
: cochineal insect