What does "vermilion" mean?
A vivid red synthetic pigment made of mercury sulfide, cinnabar.
Vermilion
/vəˈmɪl.jən/ adj, noun, verb
adj, noun, verb ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A vivid red synthetic pigment made of mercury sulfide, cinnabar.
- Grammar: vermilion is listed as adj, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: orange red, scarlet, bricky, cardinal.
- Useful contrasts: drab color, dull, dull color.
- Usage evidence: Vermilion is one the signifiers of Chinese culture.
How to use "vermilion"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "vermilion" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "vermilion" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "vermilion" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "vermilion" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "vermilion" is acting as adj, noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "orange red" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "vermilion", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A vivid red synthetic pigment made of mercury sulfide, cinnabar. countable, uncountable
"Take ſix Ounces of Brimſtone, and melt it in an Iron Ladle, then put two Pound of Quick-ſilver into a ſhammy Leather, or double Linnen Cloth, and ſqueeze it out into the melted Brimſtone, ſtirring them, in the mean Time, with a wooden Spatula till they are well united; and when they are cold, beat the Maſs into a Powder, and ſublime it in a Glaſs-veſſel, with a ſtrong Fire, and it will riſe into that Red Subſtance, which is called artificial Cinnabar or Vermilion."
- 2 a variable color that is vivid red but sometimes with an orange tinge wordnet
- 3 A bright orange-red colour. countable, uncountable
"While this particular difference in the shade of vermilion is very striking in the symmetrical, smooth skins of even and regular make, which I have just compared, I must confess that it probably would not be in rough skins such as some European ornithologists appear still content with."
- 4 A type of red dye worn in the parting of the hair by married Hindu women. countable, uncountable
- 5 The red skin of the lips or its border with the skin of the face. countable, uncountable
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 The kermes or cochineal insect. countable, obsolete, uncountable
- 7 The cochineal dye made from this insect. countable, obsolete, uncountable
Verb
- 1 To color or paint vermilion. transitive
"Coraly has few of thoſe charms that conſtitute perſonal excellence—her cheek is pallid—her eye no brilliant; but when the latter beams benevolence, or ſparkles with mirth—when the former is ſuffuſed with the captivating bluſh of modeſty, or vermilioned with the glow of the tender paſſion, there are none more pleaſing."
- 2 color vermilion wordnet
Adjective
- 1 Having a brilliant red colour.
- 2 Having the color of the vermilion dye.
Adjective
- 1 of a vivid red to reddish-orange color wordnet
Antonyms
Example
"Vermilion is one the signifiers of Chinese culture."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "vermilion"?
Common synonyms include: orange red, scarlet, bricky, cardinal, carmine, carnation.
How do you use "vermilion" in a sentence?
Vermilion is one the signifiers of Chinese culture.
How do you pronounce "vermilion"?
Pronounced /vəˈmɪl.jən/.
Etymology
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.