CRIMSON  , the name of a strong,

bright red colour tinged to a greater or less degree with purple . It is the colour of the dye produced from the dried bodies of the cochineal insect (Coccus cacti) . The word, in its earlier forms cremesin, crymysyn, also cramoysin, cf . " cramoisy," the name of a red cloth, is adapted from the Med . Lat. cremesinus for kermesinus or carmesinus, the dye produced from the insect Kermes (Coccus ilicis), Arab. quirmiz, which Skeat (Etym . Diet., 1898) connects with the Sanskrit krimi, cognate with Lat. vermis and Eng . " worm." From the Lat. carminus, a shortened form of carmesinus, comes " carmine " (q.v.) .