What does cochineal mean?
Definitions for cochineal
ˌkɒtʃ əˈnil, ˌkoʊ tʃə-, ˈkɒtʃ əˌnil, ˈkoʊ tʃə-cochineal
This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word cochineal.
Princeton's WordNet
cochinealnoun
a red dyestuff consisting of dried bodies of female cochineal insects
cochineal insect, cochineal, Dactylopius coccusnoun
Mexican red scale insect that feeds on cacti; the source of a red dye
Wiktionary
cochinealnoun
A species of insect (Dactylopius coccus).
cochinealnoun
A vivid red dye made from the bodies of cochineal insects.
Samuel Johnson's Dictionary
Cochinealnoun
An insect gathered upon the opuntia, and dried; from which a beautiful red colour is extracted. Hill.
Etymology: cochinilla, Span. a woodlouse.
ChatGPT
cochineal
Cochineal is a type of insect, Dactylopius coccus, native to Mexico and South America, which lives on cactus plants. It is widely known and used for the bright red dye, carmine, that can be extracted from the female insects. This dye has been historically used in cosmetics, textiles, food coloring and for artistic purposes.
Webster Dictionary
Cochineal
a dyestuff consisting of the dried bodies of females of the Coccus cacti, an insect native in Mexico, Central America, etc., and found on several species of cactus, esp. Opuntia cochinellifera
Etymology: [Sp. cochinilla, dim. from L. coccineus, coccinus, scarlet, fr. coccum the kermes berry, G. ko`kkos berry, especially the kermes insect, used to dye scarlet, as the cochineal was formerly supposed to be the grain or seed of a plant, and this word was formerly defined to be the grain of the Quercus coccifera; but cf. also Sp. cochinilla wood louse, dim. of cochina sow, akin to F. cochon pig.]
Wikidata
Cochineal
The cochineal is a scale insect in the suborder Sternorrhyncha, from which the crimson-coloured dye carmine is derived. A primarily sessile parasite native to tropical and subtropical South America and Mexico, this insect lives on cacti in the genus Opuntia, feeding on plant moisture and nutrients. The insect produces carminic acid that deters predation by other insects. Carminic acid, typically 17–24% of dried insects' weight, can be extracted from the body and eggs then mixed with aluminum or calcium salts to make carmine dye. Carmine is today primarily used as a food colouring and for cosmetics, especially as a lipstick colouring. The carmine dye was used in Central America in the 15th century for colouring fabrics and became an important export good during the colonial period. After synthetic pigments and dyes such as alizarin were invented in the late 19th century, natural-dye production gradually diminished. Health fears over artificial food additives, however, have renewed the popularity of cochineal dyes, and the increased demand has made cultivation of the insect profitable again, with Peru being the largest exporter. In Mexico, some towns in the state of Oaxaca are still working in hand-made textiles.
Chambers 20th Century Dictionary
Cochineal
koch′i-nēl, n. a scarlet dye-stuff consisting of the dried bodies of certain insects gathered from the cactus plant in Mexico, the West Indies, &c.: the insect itself. [Sp. cochinilla, dim. of L. coccinus—Gr. kokkos, a berry, as the cochineal was formerly supposed to be the berry or seed of the plant.]
Matched Categories
Usage in printed sourcesFrom:
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Numerology
Chaldean Numerology
The numerical value of cochineal in Chaldean Numerology is: 6
Pythagorean Numerology
The numerical value of cochineal in Pythagorean Numerology is: 7
Popularity rank by frequency of use
References
Translations for cochineal
From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary
- cotxinillaCatalan, Valencian
- cochinilla, granaSpanish
- kilptäi, košenillEstonian
- cochenilleFrench
- որդան կարմիրArmenian
- coccinigliaItalian
- cochonilha, cochinilhaPortuguese
- CochinealTamil
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"cochineal." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2025. Web. 16 Jan. 2025. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/cochineal>.
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