red ant noun Date: 1667 any of various reddish ants (as the pharaoh ant)

Red \Red\, a. [Compar. Redder (-d?r); superl. Reddest.] [OE. red, reed, AS. re['a]d, re['o]d; akin to OS. r[=o]d, OFries. r[=a]d, D. rood, G. roht, rot, OHG. r[=o]t, Dan. & Sw. r["o]d, Icel. rau[eth]r, rj[=o][eth]r, Goth. r['a]uds, W. rhudd, Armor. ruz, Ir. & Gael. ruadh, L. ruber, rufus, Gr. 'eryqro`s, Skr. rudhira, rohita; cf. L. rutilus. [root]113. Cf. Erysipelas, Rouge, Rubric, Ruby, Ruddy, Russet, Rust.] Of the color of blood, or of a tint resembling that color; of the hue of that part of the rainbow, or of the solar spectrum, which is furthest from the violet part. ``Fresh flowers, white and reede.'' --Chaucer. Your color, I warrant you, is as red as any rose. --Shak. Note: Red is a general term, including many different shades or hues, as scarlet, crimson, vermilion, orange red, and the like. Note: Red is often used in the formation of self-explaining compounds; as, red-breasted, red-cheeked, red-faced, red-haired, red-headed, red-skinned, red-tailed, red-topped, red-whiskered, red-coasted. Red admiral (Zo["o]l.), a beautiful butterfly ({Vanessa Atalanta}) common in both Europe and America. The front wings are crossed by a broad orange red band. The larva feeds on nettles. Called also Atlanta butterfly, and nettle butterfly. Red ant. (Zo["o]l.) (a) A very small ant ({Myrmica molesta}) which often infests houses. (b) A larger reddish ant ({Formica sanquinea}), native of Europe and America. It is one of the slave-making species. Red antimony (Min.), kermesite. See Kermes mineral (b), under Kermes. Red ash (Bot.), an American tree ({Fraxinus pubescens}), smaller than the white ash, and less valuable for timber. --Cray. Red bass. (Zo["o]l.) See Redfish (d) . Red bay (Bot.), a tree ({Persea Caroliniensis}) having the heartwood red, found in swamps in the Southern United States. Red beard (Zo["o]l.), a bright red sponge ({Microciona prolifera}), common on oyster shells and stones. [Local, U.S.] Red birch (Bot.), a species of birch ({Betula nigra}) having reddish brown bark, and compact, light-colored wood. --Gray. Red blindness. (Med.) See Daltonism. Red book, a book containing the names of all the persons in the service of the state. [Eng.] Red book of the Exchequer, an ancient record in which are registered the names of all that held lands per baroniam in the time of Henry II. --Brande & C. Red brass, an alloy containing eight parts of copper and three of zinc. Red bug. (Zo["o]l.) (a) A very small mite which in Florida attacks man, and produces great irritation by its bites. (b) A red hemipterous insect of the genus Pyrrhocoris, especially the European species ({P. apterus}), which is bright scarlet and lives in clusters on tree trunks. (c) See Cotton stainder, under Cotton. Red cedar. (Bot.) An evergreen North American tree ({Juniperus Virginiana}) having a fragrant red-colored heartwood. (b) A tree of India and Australia ({Cedrela Toona}) having fragrant reddish wood; -- called also toon tree in India.

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