vermilion

The story

1. Proto-Indo-European*wr̥mis
2. Proto-Italic*wormis
3. Latinvermis
4. Latinvermiculus
5. Vulgar Latin*vermiclus
6. Old Frenchvermeil
7. Old Frenchvermeillon
8. Middle Englishvermelioun
9. English todayvermilion

From Middle English vermelioun, vermyloun, vermylon, vermilun, from Old French vermeillon (“vermilion”), from vermeil, from Latin vermiculus (“little worm”), from vermis (“worm”), ultimately in reference to Kermes vermilio, a type of scale insect used to make a crimson dye. Displaced native Old English bōcrēad.

Words from the same roots