cochineal

(noun)

A vivid red dye made from the bodies of cochineal insects.

Related Terms

Examples of cochineal in the following topics:

  • Textiles of the Inca

    • Colored dyes were created from plants containing tannin, mole, or walnut; these dyes also came from animals like the cochineal and minerals like clay, ferruginosa, and mordant aluminum.