alkermes

A1L1K5E1R1M3E1S1
UK/alˈkəːmɪz/

noun

The desiccated bodies of certain insects (female Kermes ilicis and Kermes vermilio), which live on the kermes oak, formerly much used as a material for dye and a medicinal ingredient; also a given mixture, preparation etc. containing such insects.

OriginMiddle French alkermès ← Spanish alquermes ← Arabic الْقِرْمِز →
RareScrabble 14
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Meanings

nounalkermes (uncountable)
  1. uncountableThe desiccated bodies of certain insects (female Kermes ilicis and Kermes vermilio), which live on the kermes oak, formerly much used as a material for dye and a medicinal ingredient; also a given mixture, preparation etc. containing such insects.

    But alkermes many except against: in some cases it may help, if it be good […]

    1624, Democritus Junior [pseudonym; Robert Burton], The Anatomy of Melancholy: […], 2nd edition, Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] John Lichfield and James Short, for Henry Cripps, →OCLC, partition II, section 5, member 1, subsection v
  2. uncountableA red Italian alcoholic liqueur.

Origin

  1. Sanskrit[Term?]
  2. Classical Persianکرمست
  3. Arabicالْقِرْمِز
  4. Spanishalquermes
  5. Middle Frenchalkermès
  6. Englishalkermes

From Middle French alkermès, probably from Spanish alquermes, from Arabic الْقِرْمِز (al-qirmiz), from Classical Persian کرمست (kirmist), from Middle Persian, from Sanskrit [Term?].

More words from Middle French, Spanish, Arabic

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Polish alkiermes
  • alkiermesred Italian liqueur
Portuguese alquermes, quermes
  • alquermesdesiccated bodies of female Kermes ilicis and Kermes vermilio insects
  • quermesdesiccated bodies of female Kermes ilicis and Kermes vermilio insects
  • alquermesred Italian liqueur
Cite this entry
APA

alkermes. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/alkermes

MLA

“alkermes.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/alkermes. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “alkermes,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/alkermes.

Source: alkermes on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.