# madder

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈmæd.ə(ɹ)/ · frequency rank #47,738

## Definitions
1. A herbaceous plant, Rubia tinctorum, native to Asia, cultivated for a red-purple dye (alizarin) obtained from the root.
2. The root of the plant, used as a medicine or a dye.
3. A dye made from the plant.
4. A deep reddish colour, like that of the dye.

## Etymology
From Middle English mader, madere, mædere, from Old English mædere, mæddre, mædre, from Proto-Germanic *madarǭ (compare Swedish måra, Old Norse / Icelandic maðra), from Proto-Indo-European *modʰro-, cognate with Proto-Slavic *modrъ (“blue”), and compare Irish madar (“madder”), Latvian madara (“madder”).

## Easily confused with
- **made** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/madder-vs-made)
- **maker** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/madder-vs-maker)
- **Mayer** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/madder-vs-mayer)
- **mater** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/madder-vs-mater)
- **Maher** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/madder-vs-maher)
- **Maude** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/madder-vs-maude)
- **Maddy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/madder-vs-maddy)
- **madge** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/madder-vs-madge)
- **matter** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/madder-vs-matter)
- **master** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/madder-vs-master)
- **murder** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/madder-vs-murder)
- **manner** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/madder-vs-manner)
- **marker** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/madder-vs-marker)
- **maiden** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/madder-vs-maiden)
- **Maddie** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/madder-vs-maddie)
- **Maddox** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/madder-vs-maddox)
- **Mulder** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/madder-vs-mulder)
- **manger** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/madder-vs-manger)
- **mailer** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/madder-vs-mailer)
- **Madsen** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/madder-vs-madsen)

## Common misspellings (7)
`amdder`, `madderr`, `maddre`, `madedr`, `mader`, `mdader`, `mmadder`

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