What does vermilion mean?
Word: Vermilion
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Vermilion means a bright red colour with a touch of orange. It is also used as an adjective for things of this colour.
Word origin: Comes through Old French from a Latin word meaning a little worm.
How do you spell vermilion?
Syllables: ver - mil - ion
Tricky part: Vermilion has a single l in the middle. Many writers double it because the word sounds a lot like million.
Watch out for: vermillian, vermilian
Memory tip: Vermilion is a colour with a single l: picture one lone red line drawn down the middle of the word.
Vermilion in a sentence
Example 1: The front door of the old library was painted vermilion.
Example 2: Sofia chose vermilion for the roof of the house in her painting.
Example 3: By late afternoon the sky above the hills had turned a soft vermilion.
Fun Fact
For centuries painters made vermilion by grinding the red mineral cinnabar, and it was one of the most prized reds on an artist's palette.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Cookie
Find the misspelt word in the sentence:
When the lanterns were lit along the harbour wall, the calm water below took on a deep varmilion glow that stayed until the fishing boats came in.
a) lanterns
b) varmilion
c) fishing
d) harbour
Show answer
b) varmilion. The word opens with ver, as in verb, so varmilion is the slip.
Word Cookie
Choose the pair of letters that completes the word correctly:
verm_l_on
a) e,i
b) i,e
c) a,i
d) i,i
Show answer
d) i,i. Both gaps take the same letter, i, on either side of the l.
Word Connection
Choose the synonym of the word vermilion as used in the sentence:
The new school bus was painted vermilion so that drivers could spot it from far away.
a) olive
b) indigo
c) scarlet
d) ivory
Show answer
c) scarlet. Scarlet is another bright red, so it is the only colour close to vermilion.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. In which sentence is vermilion used as an adjective?
a) The artist ran out of vermilion today.
b) Vermilion was mixed into the paint.
c) She wore a vermilion scarf to the party.
d) A tube of vermilion costs quite a lot.
Show answer
c) She wore a vermilion scarf to the party.
2. Vermilion is a shade of red. Which of these colours is not a red?
a) ochre
b) ruby
c) cherry
d) crimson
Show answer
a) ochre
