Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “cinnabar” come from?

Cinnabar comes from Middle English cynabare, which referred to a red mercuric sulfide mineral used as a pigment and medicinal substance.

cinnabar (English): A deep red mineral, mercuric sulfide, HgS; the...

Definitions

  1. A deep red mineral, mercuric sulfide, HgS; the...

Ancestry of “cinnabar”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishcynabare—
2Old Frenchcinabre—
3Latincinnabarisdragon's blood; cinnabar
4Ancient Greekκιννάβαριcinnabar, bisulphuret of mercury; vermilion
5Arabicزِنْجَفْر—

Words derived from “cinnabar”

  • metacinnabar
  • hypercinnabar
Every word from Arabic زِنْجَفْر →