madder

Estimated CEFR level: C2 — Proficiency

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun Eurasian herb having small yellow flowers and red roots formerly an important source of the dye alizarin
  2. verb color a moderate to strong red
  3. adjective roused to anger; - Mark Twain

Etymology

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

In classic literature

Synonyms

Rubia tinctorum

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