Vermilion is a brilliant red-orange color, like the color of a ripe tomato mixed with the glow of a sunset. The word describes a specific, vivid shade that catches your eye immediately.

The color gets its name from a bright red pigment that artists prized for centuries. Painters used vermilion to create the rich reds in their masterpieces, from medieval manuscripts to Renaissance paintings. The pigment was expensive and valued, which made artworks using vermilion particularly special.

You might see vermilion in nature: the bright red-orange of a cardinal's feathers, certain autumn leaves, or tropical flowers. Artists and designers still use the word to describe this energetic, warm shade. If you're painting and want something bolder than pink but warmer than pure red, vermilion captures that fiery, orange-tinged red perfectly.

The word is sometimes spelled vermillion with two l's, though vermilion with one l is the standard spelling. Either way, it describes the same eye-catching color that seems to glow with intensity.