crimson
UK[ˈkrɪmzn]US[ˈkrɪmzn]
adj
of a rich deep red color inclining towards purple.
n
a rich deep red color inclining towards purple.
v
(of a person's face) become flushed, especially through embarrassment.
Etymology
the word 'crimson' entered english in the late middle english period, around the 15th century. it derives from the old spanish 'cremesín', which itself came from the medieval latin 'crimsinus'. these terms referred to a rich, deep red dye. the ultimate origin is the arabic 'qirmizī', meaning 'of the kermes', which points to the source of the color: 'qirmiz', the kermes insect. this small insect was used to produce a prized scarlet dye in the medieval period. thus, the word's journey from a specific insect-based dye to its current abstract meaning for a shade of red illustrates a classic path of semantic evolution from a concrete source to a general color descriptor.
Analysis
the word is a simplex loanword. it does not contain separable morphemes within modern english spelling.
Examples
the evening sky turned a deep crimson as the sun set.
she wore a beautiful gown of crimson velvet.
his face crimsoned with shame when he realized his mistake.