[n] Eurasian herb having small yellow flowers and red roots formerly an important source of the dye alizarin
[v] color a moderate to strong red
Misc. Definitions
\Mad"der\, n. [OE. mader, AS. m[ae]dere; akin to Icel. ma?ra.] (Bot.) A plant of the {Rubia} ({R. tinctorum}). The root is much used in dyeing red, and formerly was used in medicine. It is cultivated in France and Holland. See {Rubiaceous}. Note: Madder is sometimes used in forming pigments, as lakes, etc., which receive their names from their colors; 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.