cinnabar
/ˈsɪn.əˌbɑː(ɹ)/
Word Rarity
Very rare
Frequency: 2.23 in modern English
12
Scrabble Score
8
Letters
3
Syllables
6
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
A deep red mineral, mercuric sulfide, HgS; the principal ore of mercury; such ore used as the pigment vermilion.
Countable; Uncountable
Example Sentences
- "There are a few day-flying exceptions such as hummingbird hawk-moths, silver Ys, cinnabars, scarlet tigers and burnets but, in general, knowledge of moths lags behind that of butterflies."
Etymology
First attested in the mid-15th century. From Middle English cynabare, from Old French cinabre, from Latin cinnabaris, from Ancient Greek κιννάβαρι (kinnábari), of unknown origin.
Origin
- Source language: Middle English
- First known use: First attested in the mid-15th century
Word Breakdown
- Root: cynabare, cinabre, cinnabaris, κιννάβαρι
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈsɪn.əˌbɑː(ɹ)/
- British English: /ˈsɪn.əˌbɑː(ɹ)/