cinnabar

noun

cin·​na·​bar ˈsi-nə-ˌbär 

1

: artificial red mercuric sulfide used especially as a pigment

2

: a red mineral consisting of native mercuric sulfide HgS that is the only important ore of mercury

3

: a deep vivid red

cinnabarine

ˈsi-nə-bə-ˌrīn 

-ˌbär-in

adjective

Examples of cinnabar in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

This cinnabar mini-palace accommodates an on-site bench jeweler and a hand engraver. —Lynn Yaeger, Vogue, 5 Oct. 2024

Additionally, exclusive black nickel and cinnabar colorways can only be found at Dyson.com. —Rudie Obias, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 Aug. 2024

Younger relatives don’t want our grandmothers’ Haviland teacups, cinnabar bracelets or even the porcelain moose pitchers made in pre-World War II Czechoslovakia. —Katy Roberts, Washington Post, 29 July 2024

The contamination likely originated from cinnabar paints and art. —Big Think, 24 June 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English cynabare, from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French sinopre, from Latin cinnabaris, from Greek kinnabari, of non-Indo-European origin; akin to Arabic zinjafr cinnabar

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing cinnabar

• cinnabar moth

Kids Definition

cinnabar

noun

cin·​na·​bar ˈsin-ə-ˌbär 

: a red mineral that consists of a sulfide of mercury and is the only important ore of mercury

Medical Definition

cinnabar

noun

cin·​na·​bar ˈsin-ə-ˌbär 

1

: native red sulfide of mercury HgS that is the only important ore of mercury

2

: artificial red sulfide of mercury used especially as a pigment