carmine

noun

car·​mine ˈkär-mən 

-ˌmīn

1

: a rich red to crimson pigment made from cochineal

2

: a vivid red

Examples of carmine in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

He’s painted that cloth in carmine, and that water, and the transition of different aspects of fauna, or flesh, so much in his life that he’s developed a kind of shorthand way of doing it. —Rebecca Mead, New Yorker, 9 June 2025

Then there’s carmine, which makes some consumers queasy because the reddish pigment comes from cochineal insects. —Tribune News Service, Twin Cities, 19 May 2025

Cochineal extract, called carmine, is not kosher, meaning that kosher supervisors may need to retract certification of some items if their producers opt to replace synthetic reds with it. —Philissa Cramer, Sun Sentinel, 29 Apr. 2025

That’s why Hourglass created their patent-pending Red 0, the first vegan industry replacement for carmine. —Celia Shatzman, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

French carmin, from Medieval Latin carminium, perhaps ultimately from Arabic qirmiz kermes + Latin minium cinnabar

First Known Use

1712, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for carmine

• barman
• barmen
• carman
• carmen
• harman
• bellarmine

Kids Definition

carmine

noun

car·​mine ˈkär-mən 

-ˌmīn

: a vivid red

Medical Definition

carmine

noun

car·​mine ˈkär-mən, -ˌmīn 

: a vivid red lake consisting essentially of an aluminum salt of carminic acid made from cochineal and used as a biological stain and as coloring in foods, drugs, and cosmetics

also : any of various coloring matters (as indigo carmine) other than carmine