madder

Noun

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

Adj

Of a deep reddish purple colour, like that of the dye.

Verb

To dye with madder.

Adj

comparative form of mad: more mad

Verb

Eye dialect spelling of matter.

mad

• Adj
• Adv
• Verb

Read more

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈmædə(ɹ)/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: mader

Inherited from Old English: mædere

Cognate with Swedish: madra

Cognate with Old Norse: -

Cognate with Icelandic: maðra

Cognate with Irish: madar

Cognate with Latvian: madara

In summary

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

Synonyms

Rubia tinctorum

cherry

madder root

gamene

Rubia cordifolia

madder-root

Radix Rubiae

bedstraw

rubia root

Translations

garance

robbia

meekrap

Färberkrapp

Färberröte

garança

rubia

ερυθρόδανο

Krapp

robbia domestica

rosso di robbia

alizarina

roja

krappot

Krapprot