Madder Definition
mădər
noun
Any of a genus (Rubia) of plants of the madder family, with petals fused to form a funnel-shaped corolla; esp., a perennial vine (R. tinctorum) with panicles of small, yellow flowers.
Webster's New World
The red root of this vine.
Webster's New World
The root of R. tinctorum, formerly an important source of the dye alizarin.
American Heritage
A red dye made from this.
Webster's New World
Bright red; crimson.
Webster's New World
Synonyms:
- Rubia tinctorum
adjective
Designating a family (Rubiaceae, order Rubiales) of chiefly tropical, dicotyledonous herbs, shrubs, and trees, including bedstraw, bluet, coffee, and cinchona.
Webster's New World
Webster's New World
Of a deep reddish purple colour, like that of the dye.
Wiktionary
Synonyms:
Other Word Forms of Madder
Noun
Singular:
madder
Plural:
maddersOrigin of Madder
-
Old English mæddre, mædre, from Germanic, perhaps from an Indo-European base meaning "blue." Cognate with Swedish madra.
From Wiktionary
Middle English from Old English mædere
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
Inflected forms.
From Wiktionary
-
From mead
From Wiktionary
Related Articles
Find Similar Words
Find similar words to madder using the buttons below.