# cinnabar

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈsɪn.əˌbɑɹ/ · frequency rank #72,185

## Definitions
1. A deep red mineral, mercuric sulfide, HgS; the principal ore of mercury; such ore used as the pigment vermilion.
2. A bright red colour tinted with orange.
3. A species of erebid moth, Tyria jacobaeae, having red patches on its predominantly black wings.
4. Synonym of dragon's blood (“type of resin”).
5. The Elixir of Life.

## Etymology
First attested in the mid-15th century. From Middle English cynabare, from Old French cinabre, from Latin cinnabaris, from Ancient Greek κιννάβαρι (kinnábari), of unknown origin.

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