What does "crimson" mean?

1. (deep red colour) having a deep, rich red colour. 2. (the colour itself) a deep red colour that looks a bit purple. 3. (to blush or turn red) to turn deep red, usually because you are embarrassed or angry.

crimson

adj. · n. · v.

US //ˈkɹɪmzən// UK //kɹˈɪmsən// crim·son

1 deep red colour (adj.)
B2 Upper Intermediate Literary

having a deep, rich red colour.

possessing a deep, vivid red hue, often associated with blood or high-quality dyes.

Example

The autumn leaves turned a beautiful crimson before falling to the ground.

Example

The sunset painted the horizon in shades of crimson and gold, casting long shadows across the valley floor.
- ruby
- deep red
- carmine
2 the colour itself (n.)
B2 Upper Intermediate Literary

a deep red colour that looks a bit purple.

a deep, slightly bluish red pigment or hue.

Example

The queen was dressed in a robe of deep crimson.

Example

The artist used a touch of crimson to highlight the velvet texture of the subject's cloak.
- red
- carmine

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3 to blush or turn red (v.)
C2 Proficiency Literary

to turn deep red, usually because you are embarrassed or angry.

to become crimson in colour; to blush deeply. Intransitive in this sense.

Example

His face crimsoned when the teacher called his name in front of the class.

Example

She felt her cheeks crimson as the audience erupted in laughter at her minor slip of the tongue.
- blush
- redden
- flush
- pale

Origin

PIE word *kʷŕ̥mis Late Middle English cremesyn, from obsolete French cramoisin or Old Spanish cremesín, from Arabic قِرْمِز (qirmiz), from Classical Persian کرمست (kirmist), from Middle Persian; see Proto-Indo-Iranian *kŕ̥miš. Cognate with Sanskrit कृमिज (kṛmija). Doublet of kermes; also see carmine.