cochineal

plural cochineals · alternative cochinille

1. countableA scale insect of the species Dactylopius coccus, native to the tropical and subtropical Americas, which lives on prickly pear cacti (genus Opuntia).

   The Cochineel is an Inſect, bred in a ſort of Fruit much like the Prickle Pear. […] The Silveſter gives a colour almoſt as fair as the Cochineel; and ſo like it as to be often miſtaken for it, but it is not near ſo valuable.

   1697, William Dampier, chapter VIII, in A New Voyage Round the World. […], London: […] James Knapton, […], →OCLC, pages 228–229

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   A prodigious quantity of insects of all sorts (but no mosquitoes) assailed us at our evening meal. […] There were some that were larger—earwigs, cochineals, a little mole-cricket, and an enormous mantis. I stuffed a number of them into my poison-bottle.

   1930, André Gide, “Back Again”, in Dorothy Bussy, transl., Travels in the Congo […], red seal edition, New York, N.Y.: Modern Age Books, published 1937, →OCLC, part 2 (Back from the Chad), page 194

   The cochineal insects belong to the genus Dactylopius and are interesting not only on account of the dye, used in confectionery, that is obtained from them, but also because of the effect certain kinds have on their host-plants. The cochineals that infest certain kinds of prickly pear of the genus Monacantha have such an adverse effect on the plants, that the latter are completely destroyed. […] One of the cochineals that infest the last-named does have a killing effect at times, but by no means so marked.

   1936, H. K. Munro, F. A. Fouché, “Introduction”, in A List of the Scale Insects and Mealy Bugs (Coccidae) and Their Host-plants in South Africa = ’n Lys van die Dopluise en Wolluise (Coccidae) en hul Voedsterplante in Suid-Afrika (Union of South Africa, Department of Agriculture and Forestry Bulletin; no. 158), Pretoria, South Africa: Government printer, →OCLC, page 6

   The red dye—or cochineal red as it is called—is present in the body of cochineals, as is clearly apparent if one of the bugs is accidentally squashed. Cochineals were cultivated for their dye in the New World long before the arrival of the Spaniards. When Hernán Cortés entered Mexico in 1519 he was much taken by the widespread use of red in Aztec culture, and was downright dazzled by the magnificence of Montezuma's [i.e., Moctezuma II's] robe.

   2003, Thomas Eisner, “The Opportunists”, in For the Love of Insects, Cambridge, Mass.; London: The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, →ISBN, page 318

2. uncountableA vivid red dye made from the dried bodies of cochineal insects.

   There liues the Sea-oake, in a little ſhel; / There grovves vntill'd the ruddy Cochenel: […]

   1608, [Guillaume de Salluste] Du Bartas, “[Du Bartas His Second Weeke, […]. Adam. […].] Eden. The I. Part of the I. Day of the II. Week.”, in Josuah Sylvester, transl., Du Bartas His Deuine Weekes and Workes […], 3rd edition, London: […] Humfrey Lownes [and are to be sold by Arthur Iohnson […]], published 1611, →OCLC, page 231

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   Or if you can finde the berrie of Cochenile with whiche wee colour Stammelles, or any Roote, Berrie, Fruite, wood or earth fitte for dying, you winne a notable thing fitt for our ſtate of clothing. This Cochenile is naturall in the west Indies on that firme.

   1527, R[ichard] H[akluyt], compiler, “Notes Framed by a Gentleman heretofore to bee Giuen to One that Prepared for a Discouerie, and Went Not: And Not Unfitt to be Committed to Print, Considering the Same may Stirre up Considerations of These and of such Other Thinges, Not Unmeete in such New Voyages as may be Attempted hereafter”, in Divers Voyages Touching the Discouerie of America, and the Ilands adiacent vnto the Same, […], London: […] [Thomas Dawson] for Thomas Woodcocke, […], published 1582, →OCLC, signatures K2, recto – K2, verso

   Cociniglia, a kinde of rich flie or graine comming out of India to dye ſcarlet vvith, called Cutchenele.

   [1598, John Florio, “Cociniglia”, in A Worlde of Words, or Most Copious, and Exact Dictionarie in Italian and English, […], London: […] Arnold Hatfield for Edw[ard] Blount, →OCLC, page 75, column 3

   VVithin a day or tvvo after, vve met a VVest-Indies man of vvarre, of one hundred and ſixtie tuns, a fore noone vvee fought vvith her, and then tooke her vvith one thouſand one hundred Hides, fiftie Cheſts of Cutchanele, foureteene Coffers of vvedges of Siluer, eight thouſand Rialls of eight, and ſix Coffers of the King of Spaines Treaſure, beſides the good pillage and rich Coffers of many rich Paſſengers.

   1615 December 17 (Gregorian calendar), Daniel Baker, “The Examination of Daniel Baker, Late Steward to Captaine Iohn Smith, in the Returne of Plimoth, Taken before Sir Lewis Stukeley Knight, the Eighth of December, 1615”, in Iohn [i.e., John] Smith, The Generall Historie of Virginia, New-England, and the Summer Isles: […], London: […] I[ohn] D[awson] and I[ohn] H[aviland] for Michael Sparkes, published 1624, →OCLC, 6th booke, pages 224–225

   Flo[rez]. Are you the ovvners / Of the ſhip that laſt night put into the Harbour? / 1 Mar[chant]. Both of the Ship, and lading. / Flo. VVhat's the fraught? / 1 Mar. Indico, Quitchineel, choiſe Chyna ſtuffs.

   c. 1622, John Fletcher, Philip Massinger [et al.?], “Beggars Bush”, in Comedies and Tragedies […], London: […] Humphrey Robinson, […], and for Humphrey Moseley […], published 1647, →OCLC, Act I, scene ii, page 77, column 2

   From this Fiſh [purpura in Latin] the Tyrians drevv a Liquor, vvith vvhich they dy'd Purple, and therefore it vvas call'd Tyrius color. This vvas in thoſe Days, vvhen they knevv no other VVay of dying this Colour, and therefore it vvas exceſſive dear, and only fit for the greateſt Perſons. Aftervvards the Scarlet Berries vvere found upon the Scarlet Oak, vvhich exceeded the Bevvty of the former Colour, and ſince then the VVeſt India Cochinille, has put dovvn both.

   1725, James Coats, “PURPURE”, in A New Dictionary of Heraldry, Explaining the Terms Us’d in That Science, with Their Etymology, and Different Versions into Latin. […], revised edition, London: […] Jer. Batley […], →OCLC, pages 289–290

   Synonyms: E120

3. uncountableThe vivid red colour of this dye.

   And I to make all knovv, I am not ſhallovv / VVill have my points [i.e., lace] of Cucchineale and yellovv.

   c. 1621–1623 (date written), Philip Massinger, The Maid of Honour. […], London: […] I[ohn] B[eale] for Robert Allot, […], published 1632, →OCLC, Act V, scene i, signature [K4], recto

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   These days, I'm an apprentice at a tattoo shop on Sunset. […] I just keep staring at all the ink we have, that wild variety of color, everything from rootbeer, midnight blue and cochineal to mauve, light doe, lilac, south sea green, maize, even pelican black, all lined up in these plastic caps, […]

   2000, Zampanò [pseudonym; Mark Z. Danielewski], “The Navidson Record. Chapter IV.”, in House of Leaves, 2nd edition, New York, N.Y.: Pantheon Books, →ISBN, footnote 33, page 26

1. not comparablePossessing a vivid red colour, as or as if produced from dyeing with cochineal dye (noun sense 2).

   Batavus [a tulip variety], of somewhat the same shade, was slightly taller, and perhaps with a little more cochineal color.

   1936 June, R. M. H., “The Cottage Tulips”, in Breeze Hill News, volume II, number 10, Harrisburg, Pa.: J[ohn] Horace McFarland Company, Mount Pleasant Press, →OCLC

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   The principal imports arriving by sea, then as previously, were textiles, among them coarse cotton cloth, known as Surat, the Indian port from which they were shipped, as well as blue cotton cloth and cochineal cloth called kemis, fine cloth from various parts of India, coarse white cotton cloth, and unspun cotton in balls from Yaman.

   1997, Richard Pankhurst, “The North: The Land of the Afars, the Country of Bahr Nägash, and Massawa”, in The Ethiopian Borderlands: Essays in Regional History from Ancient Times to the End of the 18th Century, Lawrenceville, N.J.; Asmara, Eritrea: The Red Sea Press, →ISBN, part VI (The Oromo Migration and the Gondarine Monarchy (1522–1800)), page 416