cochineal

 
Pronunciation: /ˌkɒtʃɪˈniːl, ˈkɒtʃɪniːl/

noun

  • 1 [mass noun] a scarlet dye used for colouring food, made from the crushed dried bodies of a female scale insect.
  • a dye similar to cochineal made from the oak kermes insect (see kermes).
  • 2 (cochineal insect) the scale insect that is used for cochineal, native to Mexico and formerly cultivated on cacti.
    • Dactylopius coccus, family Dactylopiidae, suborder Homoptera

Origin:

late 16th century: from French cochenille or Spanish cochinilla, from Latin coccinus 'scarlet', from Greek kokkos 'berry' (the insect bodies were mistaken for grains or berries). Compare with coccus, kermes