A scale insect (genus Kermes) from which scarlet dye is extracted; historically a source of rich red coloring for fabrics.
From Old French 'chermes,' ultimately from Arabic 'qirmiz,' the source of the insect and the dye itself. The root is so old it influenced the word 'crimson' in English.
Before synthetic dyes were invented, chermes insects were worth their weight in gold—a small amount could color entire bolts of cloth crimson red, and kings competed for control of trade routes!
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