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Webster 1913 Edition


Madder

Mad′der

(măd′dẽr)
,
Noun.
[OE.
mader
, AS.
maedere
; akin to Icel.
maðra
.]
(Bot.)
A plant of the genus
Rubia
(
Rubia tinctorum
). The root is much used in dyeing red, and formerly was used in medicine. It is cultivated in France and Holland. See
Rubiaceous
.
☞ Madder is sometimes used in forming pigments, as lakes, etc., which receive their names from their colors, such as
madder yellow
.
Field madder
,
an annual European weed (
Sherardia arvensis
) resembling madder.
Indian madder
,
the East Indian
Rubia cordifolia
, used in the East for dyeing; – called also
munjeet
.
Wild madder
,
Rubia peregrina
of Europe; also the
Galium Mollugo
, a kind of bedstraw.

Webster 1828 Edition


Madder

MAD'DER

,
Noun.
A plant of the genus Rubia, one species of which is much used in dyeing red. The root is used in medicine as an aperient and detergent, and is in great reputation as an emmenagogue. It is cultivated in France and Holland.

Definition 2024


madder

madder

English

madder (Rubia tinctorum)

Noun

madder (plural madders)

  1. A herbaceous plant, Rubia tinctorum, native to Asia, cultivated for a red-purple dye 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 purple colour, like that of the dye.
    madder colour:    
    • 1946, Mervyn Peake, Titus Groan:
      Her big head has coloured to a dim and dreadful madder.

Synonyms

Derived terms
Translations

Adjective

madder (not comparable)

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

Related terms

See also

Etymology 2

Inflected forms.

Adjective

madder

  1. comparative form of mad: more mad

Etymology 3

From mead

Noun

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

Anagrams