/koch'euh neel", koh'cheuh-, koch"euh neel', koh"cheuh-/ , n.
a red dye prepared from the dried bodies of the females of the cochineal insect, Dactylopius coccus, which lives on cactuses of Mexico, Central America, and other warm regions.
[ 1575-85; cochinille cochinilla the insect; of obscure orig.; perh. to be identified with Sp cochinilla sow bug (assuming a likeness between it and the female cochineal insect), dim. of cochina sow, but chronology is doubtful ]