English
vermilion
Vermilion comes from Old French vermeil ‘vermillion’, from Latin vermiculus ‘little worm’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *wr̥mis.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*wr̥mis‘worm’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*wormis‘worm’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEvermis‘worm’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEvermiculus‘little worm’
- Vulgar Latinc. 100–700 CE*vermiclusreconstructed
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400vermeil‘vermillion’
- Old French, derivedc. 842–1400vermeillon
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500vermelioun
- Englishearliest quotation 1734vermilion
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*wr̥mis‘worm’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*wormis‘worm’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEvermis‘worm’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEvermiculus‘little worm’
- Vulgar Latinc. 100–700 CE*vermiclusreconstructed
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400vermeil‘vermillion’
- Old French, derivedc. 842–1400vermeillon
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500vermelioun
- Englishearliest quotation 1734vermilion
Earliest quotation: 1734, VERMILION: “Take ſix Ounces of Brimſtone, and melt it in…”
The story
From Middle English vermelioun, vermyloun, vermylon, vermilun, from Old French vermeillon (‘vermilion’), from vermeil, from Latin vermiculus (‘little worm’), from vermis (‘worm’), ultimately in reference to Kermes vermilio, a type of scale insect used to make a crimson dye.
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *wer- ‘to turn, to bend’
wear, guard, ward, regard, garage, con, warn, beware, optic, ware, weir, garrison, panorama, verge, reverence, wry, revere, prosaic, guaranty, diorama, milliner, 69 more
through Proto-Indo-European *wr̥mis ‘worm’
through Latin vermis ‘worm’
through Latin vermiculus ‘little worm’
through Old French vermeil ‘vermillion’
Today it means
noun A vivid red synthetic pigment made of mercury sulfide, cinnabar.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *wr̥mis / vermilion