madder

/ˈmæd.ə(ɹ)/

Etymology

From Middle English mader, madere, mædere, from Old English mædere, mæddre, mædre, from Proto-Germanic *madarǭ (compare Swedish måra, Old Norse / Icelandic maðra), from Proto-Indo-European *modʰro-, cognate with Proto-Slavic *modrъ (“blue”), and compare Irish madar (“madder”), Latvian madara (“madder”).

adj

  1. Of a deep reddish purple colour, like that of the dye.

noun

  1. A herbaceous plant, Rubia tinctorum, native to Asia, cultivated for a red-purple dye (alizarin) obtained from the root.“Madder (Rubia tinctorum). — This plant has a perennial root and an annual stalk. It is cultivated for the roots, which, after being dried and ground, are employed in considerable quantities in dying a fine red colour, and, likewise, as a first tint for several other shades. It is principally cultivated in Holland, the province of Zealand being almost entirely covered with it; from whence it is exp”
  2. The root of the plant, used as a medicine or a dye.
  3. A dye made from the plant.“Their armour was stained with madder, in such wise that they seemed bathed in blood.”
  4. A deep reddish colour, like that of the dye.“Her big head has coloured to a dim and dreadful madder.”

verb

  1. To dye with madder.