/veuhr mil"yeuhn/ , n.
1. a brilliant scarlet red.
2. a bright-red, water-insoluble pigment consisting of mercuric sulfide, once obtained from cinnabar, now usually produced by the reaction of mercury and sulfur.
adj.
3. of the color vermilion.
v.t.
4. to color with or as if with vermilion.
[ 1250-1300; ME vermilioun, vermillon verm ( e ) illon, equiv. to vermeil VERMEIL + -on n. suffix ]