noun
madder
MAD-uh
Madder (noun) means a plant whose root produces a deep reddish dye, or the dye itself. Example: “Medieval weavers used madder to dye wool a deep red.”
noun
1
A plant whose root produces a deep reddish dye, or the dye itself.
"Her big head has coloured to a dim and dreadful madder."
— Mervyn Peake, Titus Groan (1946)
"Medieval weavers used madder to dye wool a deep red."
"Their armour was stained with madder, in such wise that they seemed bathed in blood."
— Eric Rücker Eddison, The Worm Ouroboros: A Romance (1922)
adj
1
Having the deep purplish-red colour associated with the madder dye.
"The curtains were a rich madder shade."
How to use madder
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA red dye plant, or the deep red colour it produces — not to be confused with "madder" as in "more mad".
Common mistake
This is a separate word from the comparative of "mad" ("he got madder and madder") — same spelling, different origin and meaning.
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Word forms
- Plural
- madders
- Third person singular
- madders
- Past tense
- maddered
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Medieval weavers used _____ to dye wool a deep red.
Etymology
From Old English mædere, going back to a Proto-Germanic root for the plant, related to Swedish måra.
Rhymes for madder
See all rhymes for madder →Frequently asked questions
What does “madder” mean?
The word “madder” means a plant whose root produces a deep reddish dye, or the dye itself. In plain terms, a red dye plant, or the deep red colour it produces — not to be confused with "madder" as in "more mad".
How do you pronounce “madder”?
“Madder” is pronounced MAD-uh (/ˈmæd.ɚ/ in IPA).
How do you use “madder” in a sentence?
Here is “madder” used in a sentence: “Medieval weavers used madder to dye wool a deep red.”
What part of speech is “madder”?
Depending on how it is used, “madder” can be a noun and an adjective.
Where does the word “madder” come from?
The word “madder” comes from Old English. From Old English mædere, going back to a Proto-Germanic root for the plant, related to Swedish måra.
How many meanings does “madder” have?
“Madder” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a plant whose root produces a deep reddish dye, or the dye itself.
