Coccineus
/kok-SIN-ee-us/🏷️ Taxonomy●● Intermediate
Also known as: coccinea, coccineum
A color epithet describing a brilliant, vivid scarlet-red — brighter and more orange-tinged than the deeper rubra. The name comes from the kermes insect, whose dried bodies were the ancient source of scarlet dye. Appears as coccineus (masculine), coccinea (feminine), or coccineum (neuter).
Etymology
From Latin coccineus, meaning "scarlet," from coccinus (scarlet-colored), from coccum (the kermes berry or scarlet dye), from Greek kokkos (a berry, grain).
Example
“Tropaeolum speciosum (flame nasturtium) and Salvia coccinea (tropical sage) both blaze with the vivid, eye-catching scarlet their epithet promises.”