English edit

 
madder (Rubia tinctorum)
 
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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