crotal

9.9

A small growth on rocks that people use to make reddish brown or purple dye

noun

Archaic

: crotal

The traditional weavers used crotal to create deep purple hues in their fabrics.

Examples

She collected crotal from the rocks to use in natural dyeing.
Dye made from crotal was prized in Scottish textiles for its rich color.
The artist used crotal to create beautiful dyes.
Many crotals thrive in cold environments.
Dye made from crotal was prized in Scottish textiles for its rich color.
The traditional weavers used crotal to create deep purple hues in their fabrics.
She collected crotal from the rocks to use in natural dyeing.

Synonyms

crottal

vscrotal

Archaic

9.9

A lichen used to make reddish brown or purple dye

is the same meaning but shows an alternative spelling form

crottle

vscrotal

Archaic

9.9

A lichen that grows on rocks and gives reddish-brown dye for cloth

is the same meaning but appears as another variant name

Surface Forms

crotal singular

crotals plural

Etymology

Crotal comes from the Greek krotalon, which means 'rattle'. A helpful way to remember crotal as the lichen used for dye is to imagine its small round parts like tiny rattles or beads, and so the name came to be used for the plant that made rich reddish-brown and purple dyes.