Location via proxy:   [ UP ]  
[Report a bug]   [Manage cookies]                

English

edit
 
madder (Rubia tinctorum)
 
English Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia

Pronunciation

edit

Etymology 1

edit

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).

Noun

edit

madder (countable and uncountable, plural madders)

  1. A herbaceous plant, Rubia tinctorum, native to Asia, cultivated for a red-purple dye (alizarin) obtained from the root.
  2. The root of the plant, used as a medicine or a dye.
  3. A dye made from the plant.
  4. A deep reddish colour, like that of the dye.
    madder:  
    • 1946, Mervyn Peake, Titus Groan:
      Her big head has coloured to a dim and dreadful madder.
Synonyms
edit
Derived terms
edit
Translations
edit

Adjective

edit

madder (not comparable)

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

Verb

edit

madder (third-person singular simple present madders, present participle maddering, simple past and past participle maddered)

  1. (transitive, rare) To dye with madder.

See also

edit

Etymology 2

edit

Inflected forms.

Adjective

edit

madder

  1. comparative form of mad: more mad

Etymology 3

edit

From Irish meadar.

Noun

edit

madder (plural madders)

  1. Obsolete form of mether.
    • c.1720 Jonathan Swift (translation from the Irish) "O'Rourke's Feast":
      Usequebaugh to our feast - In pails was brought up,
      A hundred at least, - And the madder our cup,
      O there is the sport! []

References

edit

Etymology 4

edit

Verb

edit

madder (third-person singular simple present madders, present participle maddering, simple past and past participle maddered)

  1. Eye dialect spelling of matter.

Anagrams

edit

Middle English

edit

Adjective

edit

madder

  1. comparative degree of mad