ˈkər(ˌ)mēz, -_mə̇s; kərˈmes; in sense 1b ˈkər(ˌ)mēz noun
Etymology: French kermès, from Arabic qirmiz — more at crimson
1.
a. plural kermes : the dried bodies of the females of various scales (genus Kermes ) that are found on the kermes oak of the Mediterranean region, are round and about the size of a pea, and constitute the oldest dyestuff known producing a red color resembling but much inferior to that of cochineal
b. capitalized
[New Latin, from French kermès or English kermes ]
: a genus (the type of the family Kermesidae) of scales comprising those that form kermes and various related No. American and Australian scales
2. plural kermes : kermes mineral
3. or kermes scarlet plural kermes : a somewhat variable color averaging scarlet