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madder

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madder¹

  • /ˈmædə(ɹ)/
  • [ˈmadə(ɹ)] UK
  • [ˈmæɾɚ] US
  • /ˈmɛədə(ɹ)/
  • [ˈmɛəɾə(ɹ)]

Sounds like matter (some US pronunciations) · Rhymes with -ædə(ɹ)

Where it comes from

From Middle English mader, madere, mædere, from Old English mædere, mæddre, mædre, from Proto-Germanic *madarǭ (compare Swedish måra, Old Norse / Icelandic maðra), from Proto-Indo-European *modʰro-, cognate with Proto-Slavic *modrъ (“blue”), and compare Irish madar (“madder”), Latvian madara (“madder”).

noun madders

  1. countable, uncountable A herbaceous plant, Rubia tinctorum, native to Asia, cultivated for a red-purple dye (alizarin) obtained from the root. Madder (Rubia tinctorum). — This plant has a perennial root and an annual stalk. It is cultivated for the roots, which, after being dried and ground, are employed in considerable quantities in dying a fine red colour, and, likewise, as a first tint for several other shades. It is principally cultiva

    Similar: common madder, dyer's madder

  2. countable, uncountable The root of the plant, used as a medicine or a dye.
  3. countable, uncountable A dye made from the plant. Their armour was stained with madder, in such wise that they seemed bathed in blood.
  4. countable, uncountable A deep reddish colour, like that of the dye. Her big head has coloured to a dim and dreadful madder.

adjective

  1. not comparable Of a deep reddish purple colour, like that of the dye.

verb madders · maddering · maddered

  1. rare, transitive To dye with madder.

madder²

  • /ˈmædə(ɹ)/
  • [ˈmadə(ɹ)] UK
  • [ˈmæɾɚ] US
  • /ˈmɛədə(ɹ)/
  • [ˈmɛəɾə(ɹ)]

Sounds like matter (some US pronunciations) · Rhymes with -ædə(ɹ)

Where it comes from

Inflected forms.

adjective

  1. comparative comparative form of mad: more mad

madder³

  • /ˈmædə(ɹ)/
  • [ˈmadə(ɹ)] UK
  • [ˈmæɾɚ] US
  • /ˈmɛədə(ɹ)/
  • [ˈmɛəɾə(ɹ)]

Sounds like matter (some US pronunciations) · Rhymes with -ædə(ɹ)

Where it comes from

Borrowed from Irish meadar.

noun madders

  1. obsolete Obsolete form of mether Usequebaugh to our feast - In pails was brought up, A hundred at least, - And the madder our cup, O there is the sport! […]

madder⁴

  • /ˈmædə(ɹ)/
  • [ˈmadə(ɹ)] UK
  • [ˈmæɾɚ] US
  • /ˈmɛədə(ɹ)/
  • [ˈmɛəɾə(ɹ)]

Sounds like matter (some US pronunciations) · Rhymes with -ædə(ɹ)

verb madders · maddering · maddered

  1. pronunciation spelling Eye dialect spelling of matter

Translations

Every language

noun plant

Españolrubia roja
日本語茜 akane
Portuguêsruiva-dos-tintureiros, ruiva, granza, garança
Françaisgarance
DeutschFärberkrapp, Färberröte, Krapp
Italianorobbia, garanza
Ελληνικάριζάρι rizári, ερυθρόδανο erythródano
Românăroibă, garanță
Русскиймаре́на maréna
العربيةفُوَّة صَبْغِيَّة, فُوَّة fuwwa
עבריתפּוּאָה pūʾā

noun dye

Españolrojo de alizarina
日本語茜 akane
Portuguêsalizarina, garança
DeutschKrapprot, Krappfarbstoff, Alizarin, Alizarinrot
Italianoalizarina
Românăalizarină
Русскийкрапп krapp

noun root

DeutschKrappwurzel
Italianorobbia
Românăroibă
Русскиймаре́на maréna

noun colour

Españolrojo turco
日本語茜色 akaneiro
Françaisgarance
DeutschKrapprot
Italianorosso di robbia
Românăroz pal

adj colour

Españolrojo turco
日本語茜色の akaneiro no
Françaisgarance
Deutschkrapprot
Românăroz pal
Русскийкраповый krapovyj

Talk about this word

Cite this
MLA

"madder." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/madder. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

madder. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/madder

Chicago

"madder." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/madder.

BibTeX
@misc{madder_2026,
  title = {madder},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/madder},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}