vermilion

/vəˈmɪl.jən/

//vəˈmɪl.jən// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"vermilion" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“vermilion” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #39,634 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#39,634
frequency rank, English
9
letters
13
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A vivid red synthetic pigment made of mercury sulfide, cinnabar.

Key facts for vermilion
PropertyValue
Headwordvermilion
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/vəˈmɪl.jən/
Letters9
Frequency rank#39,634
Misspellings tracked13
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “vermilion” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). vermilion lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for vermilion is 9 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /vəˈmɪl.jən/. Corpus data places it at rank #39,634 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 6 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 13 likely wrong-spelling variants for vermilion, with forms such as "evrmilion", "vemrilion", and "verimlion". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, suggesting its spelling stands apart enough that readers rarely confuse it with something else.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English vermelioun, vermyloun, vermylon, vermilun, from Old French vermeillon (“vermilion”), from vermeil, from Latin vermiculus (“little worm”), from vermis (“worm”), ultimately in reference to Kermes vermilio, a type of scale insect used to ma… The correct English form is vermilion, spelled V-E-R-M-I-L-I-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    A vivid red synthetic pigment made of mercury sulfide, cinnabar.
  2. 2
    A bright orange-red colour.
  3. 3
    A type of red dye worn in the parting of the hair by married Hindu women.
  4. 4
    The red skin of the lips or its border with the skin of the face.
  5. 5
    The kermes or cochineal insect.
  6. 6
    The cochineal dye made from this insect.

Etymology

From Middle English vermelioun, vermyloun, vermylon, vermilun, from Old French vermeillon (“vermilion”), from vermeil, from Latin vermiculus (“little worm”), from vermis (“worm”), ultimately in reference to Kermes vermilio, a type of scale insect used to make a crimson dye.

This word in other languages

bermellón(Español)vermillon(Français)Zinnober(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: evrmilion,vemrilion,verimlion,vermiilon,vermilino,vermilionn,vermillion,vermiloin,vermliion,vermmilion,verrmilion,vremilion,vvermilion

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of vermilion - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

evrmilion2vemrilion2verimlion2vermiilon2vermilino2vermilionn1vermillion1vermiloin2
Edit distance from "vermilion"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "vermilion"?
"vermilion" is spelled V-E-R-M-I-L-I-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /vəˈmɪl.jən/.
What does "vermilion" mean?
As a noun, "vermilion" means: A vivid red synthetic pigment made of mercury sulfide, cinnabar.
What are common misspellings of "vermilion"?
Common misspellings include "evrmilion", "vemrilion", "verimlion", "vermiilon", "vermilino". The correct spelling is "vermilion".
How do you pronounce "vermilion"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "vermilion" is /vəˈmɪl.jən/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "vermilion"?
From Middle English vermelioun, vermyloun, vermylon, vermilun, from Old French vermeillon (“vermilion”), from vermeil, from Latin vermiculus (“little worm”), from vermis (“worm”), ultimately in reference to Kermes vermilio, a type of scale insect ... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “vermilion”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is V-E-R-M-I-L-I-O-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /vəˈmɪl.jən/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list