Forms: 6–7 chermez, (8 chermes), 7 kermez, (cremes), 7– kermes. See also ALKERMES. [= F. kermès, It. chermes, Sp. carmes, Pg. kermes, ad. Ar. and Pers. qirmiz (whence also carmine, cramoisy, crimson).]
1. The pregnant female of the insect Coccus ilicis, formerly supposed to be a berry; gathered in large quantities from a species of evergreen oak in S. Europe and N. Africa, for use in dyeing, and formerly in medicine; the red dye-stuff consisting of the dried bodies of these insects; = ALKERMES 1.
1610. W. Folkingham, Art of Survey, IV. ii. 81. Drugs, as Mechoacan, Kermez, Methium, [etc.].
1626. Bacon, Sylva, § 738. The Scarlet Powder, which they call Kermez.
1741. Compl. Fam.-Piece, I. iv. 245. To which add Juice of Chermes 1 Pound.
1774. Goldsm., Nat. Hist. (1862), II. IV. vi. 551. An insect of great use in medicine, is that … known by the name of the Kermes.
1816. J. Smith, Panorama Sci. & Art, II. 537. Kermes has not been much used since the art of brightening cochineal with tin was discovered.
1865. Morn. Star, 5 April. Plants infested by the aphis grub, weevil, kermes, cochineal, or tipula.
2. The small evergreen species of oak (Quercus coccifera) on which this insect lives. More fully kermes oak.
1598. Sylvester, Du Bartas, II. i. I. Eden, 600. There grows … the Chermez, which on each side arms, With pointed prickles, all his precious arms.
1718. Ozell, trans. Tournefort’s Voy., I. 177. The island … is fertile in fine plants, and covered with Lentisks, Kermes, and Cistus’s.
1858. Hogg, Veg. Kingd., 698. Quercus coccifera … is called the Kermes Oak.
3. Amorphous trisulphide of antimony, of a brilliant red color. More fully kermes mineral.
1753. Chambers, Cycl. Supp., s.v., The kermes mineral was a preparation of Glauber … made public in 1720. Ibid., The more the kermes contains of a regulus easily revivified, the more it proves emetic.
1796. Kirwan, Elem. Min. (ed. 2), II. 251. Mr. Sage thinks it [Red Antimonial ore] a natural Kermes.
1831. J. Davies, Manual Mat. Med., 328. When administered in the dose of a few grains, kermes acts as an emetic.
1857. Semple, Diphtheria, 10. Kermes mineral.
4. attrib. and Comb., as kermes-berry, grain, insect (= sense 1); kermes lake (see quot. 1850).
1671. Ray, Corr. (1848), 46. I did not then suspect it to be anything akin to the Kermes kind. Ibid. (1673), Journ. Low C., 457. As for the grains themselves they are so like the Kermes grains.
1676. Grew, Exper. Luctat. Menstr., i. § 15. Kermes-berries, commonly, but ignorantly, so called.
1841. Penny Cycl., XIX. 213/2. The Kermes insect, which yields so brilliant and permanent a blood-red dye.
1850. Weale, Dict. Terms, Kermes lake, an ancient pigment.
