- (n.) The dried bodies of the females of a scale insect (Coccus ilicis), allied to the cochineal insect, and found on several species of oak near the Mediterranean. They are round, about the size of a pea, contain coloring matter analogous to carmine, and are used in dyeing. They were anciently thought to be of a vegetable nature, and were used in medicine.
- (n.) A small European evergreen oak (Quercus coccifera) on which the kermes insect (Coccus ilicis) feeds.
- (n.) A genus of scale insects including many species that feed on oaks. The adult female resembles a small gall.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
| APA | Webster's. (2011). kermes. Retrieved September 20, 2026, from http://smartdefine.org/kermes/definitions/2025286 |
| Chicago | Webster's. 2011. "kermes" http://smartdefine.org/kermes/definitions/2025286 (accessed September 20, 2026). |
| Harvard | Webster's 2011, kermes, Smart Define, viewed 20 September, 2026, <http://smartdefine.org/kermes/definitions/2025286>. |
| MLA | Webster's. "kermes" 27 May 2011. Web. 20 September 2026. <http://smartdefine.org/kermes/definitions/2025286> |