Spanish word

carmesí

Pronunciation

IPA/kaɾmeˈsi/

Meaning

  • adjectivecrimson

Example

Sus labios eran carmesí.

Her lips were crimson.

Illustration for carmesí (crimson)

More examples

Compró un vestido carmesí para la boda.

She bought a crimson dress for the wedding.

Core concept

Intense shadowed red commonly associated with lipstick and luxurious fabrics.

Common phrases

  • color carmesí

    crimson color

  • pintalabios carmesí

    crimson lipstick

  • vestido carmesí

    crimson dress

Similar words

rojo: Plain bright red commonly used in everyday contexts such as flags and labels.
rojizo: Slightly reddish tint that gives a subtle warm red cast.
granate: Rich dark red reminiscent of red wine or a garnet gemstone.

Definition in Spanish

Describe un rojo muy vivo y oscuro, con matiz intenso usado en telas, maquillaje y descripciones literarias.

Word origin

Spanish carmesí ultimately traces to Latin carminium, the historic name for the red dye extracted from kermes insects that yielded the crimson shade.

Usage tips

  • The related noun carmín refers to the pigment or dye while carmesí names the color, so expect carmín as a noun and carmesí as the descriptive adjective.

Other meanings

  • carminenoun

Opposites

Word lists with this word