# carmine

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈkɑːmaɪn/ · frequency rank #29,585

## Definitions
1. A purplish-red pigment, made from dye obtained from the cochineal beetle; carminic acid or any of its derivatives.
2. A purplish-red colour, resembling that pigment.

## Etymology
PIE word
 *kʷŕ̥mis
From French carmin, from irregular Medieval Latin carminium, itself from Arabic قِرْمِز (qirmiz, “crimson, kermes”) from Persian *کرمست (*kermest), ultimately from Proto-Indo-Iranian *kŕ̥miš (“worm”), plus or with influence from Latin minium. Compare crimson and kermes.

## Easily confused with
- **Carne** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/carmine-vs-carne)
- **Carrie** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/carmine-vs-carrie)
- **carving** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/carmine-vs-carving)
- **charming** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/carmine-vs-charming)
- **Caroline** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/carmine-vs-caroline)
- **caring** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/caring-vs-carmine)
- **Carmen** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/carmen-vs-carmine)
- **canine** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/canine-vs-carmine)
- **carlin** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/carlin-vs-carmine)
- **Carina** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/carina-vs-carmine)
- **carbide** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/carbide-vs-carmine)
- **carbine** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/carbine-vs-carmine)

## Common misspellings (10)
`acrmine`, `camrine`, `carimne`, `carmien`, `carminne`, `carmmine`, `carmnie`, `carrmine`, `ccarmine`, `cramine`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/carmine