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
- A deep red mineral, mercuric sulfide, HgS; the...
Ancestry of “cinnabar”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | cynabare | — |
| 2 | Old French | cinabre | — |
| 3 | Latin | cinnabaris | dragon's blood; cinnabar |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | κιννάβαρι | cinnabar, bisulphuret of mercury; vermilion |
| 5 | Arabic | زِنْجَفْر | — |