indigon.adj.
/ˈɪndɪɡəʊ/ A. n.
1. † c. Used in extended sense for ‘dye’. Obsolete.
a. A substance obtained in the form of a blue powder from plants of the genus Indigofera, N.O. Leguminosæ, and largely used as a blue dye.It is produced by the decomposition of the glucoside indican n., which exists not merely in the indigo-plant, but in woad and various other plants. Its essential constituent is indigo-blue; besides which, however, commercial indigo or crude indigo contains indigo-red, indigo-brown, and some earthy glutinous matters (indigo-gluten).
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > colour > named colours > blue or blueness > blue colouring matter > [noun] > dyes and dyestuffs > indigo
indec1320
indicum1398
indy blue1509
indigo1555
indebaudias1573
vanil1577
anil1581
nil1583
α.
β. 1555 R. Eden tr. Peter Martyr of Angleria Decades of Newe Worlde f. 238 Endego to dye silke, trewe and good, the farazuola, Fanan. xxx. [ Ramusio Itinerario (1550) 348 Endego vero e buono val la farazuola, fanoes xxx.].1598 W. Phillip tr. J. H. van Linschoten Disc. Voy. E. & W. Indies i. lxix. 117/1 Annil or Indigo by the Gusurates is called Gali, by others Nil. [ J. H. van Linschoten Itinerario (1596) lxix. 92/2 Van't Annil ofte Indigo. Het Annil, anders Indigo ghenaemt, ende in Gusaratte, Gali; van andere Nil.]1665 S. Pepys Diary 25 Sept. (1972) VI. 241 We did agree a bargain of 5000l..for silk, cinnamon, nutmegs and Indico.1690 J. Child Disc. Trade ix. 145 It employs the Nation for its Consumption, with Pepper, Indico, Calicoes, and several useful Drugs.1712 J. Browne tr. P. Pomet et al. Compl. Hist. Druggs I. 90. 1731 P. Miller Gardeners Dict. I. at Anil All the World knows, or ought to know, that Indigo is a Dye with which Wooll, Cloth, Stuffs and Silks are dyed Blue.1806 W. Henry Epitome Chem. (ed. 4) i. xix. 266 Indigo is the only substance used in dyeing blue, which it does without the intervention of a basis.1813 H. Davy Elements Agric. Chem. iii. 82 Indigo may be procured from Woad..by digesting alchohol on it, and evaporating the solution.1865–72 H. Watts Dict. Chem. III. 250 Its introduction into Europe as a dye is generally attributed to the Jews, who during the middle ages practised the art of dying with indigo in the Levant.1889 H. F. Morley & M. M. P. Muir Watts' Dict. Chem. (rev. ed.) II. 753/1 The Egyptian mummy cases were certainly dyed with indigo, and it has been employed in India for many thousands of years.1889–96 G. M'Gowan tr. A. Bernthsen Text-bk. Org. Chem. (ed. 3) 469 In addition to indigo-blue (indigotin), commercial indigo contains indigo-gelatine, indigo-brown, and indigo-red, all of which can be extracted from it by solvents.1889–96 G. M'Gowan tr. A. Bernthsen Text-bk. Org. Chem. (ed. 3) 469 Indigo has been prepared synthetically by Baeyer..from isatin chloride [etc.].1588 T. Hickock tr. C. Federici Voy. & Trauaile f. 7v There goeth out of Chiawle..great quantitie of Indico, Opinione, Goteon, Silke.
1616 J. Bullokar Eng. Expositor Indico, a stone brought out of Turkie, wherewith dyers vse to die blew.
1678 J. Moxon Mech. Exercises I. iii. 58 Workmen sometimes grind Indico and sallad Oyl together.
1680 R. Morden Geogr. Rectified (1685) 398 In the Suburbs they make Indico.
1686 London Gaz. No. 2186/1 700 Chests of Indico of Guatimala.
1755 Gentleman's Mag. May 201/1 Indico, or Indigo, is a dye extracted from a plant of the same name.
1788 New London Mag. 244 A ship..freighted with indico, cochineal, and rich stuffs.
b. plural. (In commercial use.) Sorts or samples of indigo. (But formerly a collective plural, like ashes, oats, grains, silks.)
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > colour > named colours > blue or blueness > blue colouring matter > [noun] > dyes and dyestuffs > indigo > kinds of
indigos1609
1609 Sir H. Middleton in H. Beveridge Comprehensive Hist. India (1862) I. ii. i. 251 Their indicoes and other goods of theirs.
1624 J. Smith Gen. Hist. Virginia v. 171 There are great abundance of..Tobacco, Sugarcanes, Indicos, Parsnips.
1821 C. Lamb in London Mag. Aug. 156/2 Hast thee heard how indigos go at the India House?
1875 R. Hunt & F. W. Rudler Ure's Dict. Arts (ed. 7) II. 903 The Manilla indigos present the marks of the rushes upon which they have been dried.
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the world > matter > colour > colouring > colouring matter > [noun] > dye
dyec1000
lit13..
intinct1657
indigo1704
madder dye1755
madder-bath1816
1704 Nat. Hist. viii, in L. Wafer New Voy. & Descr. Isthmus Amer. (ed. 2) 234 They make a saffron coloured Indico of the Seed, call'd Arnotto.
2.
a. A plant from which indigo is obtained, indigo-plant n., including several species of Indigofera.Among these are common or East Indian indigo, Indigofera tinctoria, West Indian indigo, I. Anil, Australian indigo, I. Australis, purple-flowered indigo, I. floribunda.
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the world > plants > valued plants and weeds > [noun] > valued plant > yielding dye, oil, fibre, etc.
oil wort1493
indigo1600
oil plant1756
indigo-plant1758
thread-plant1882
fibre plant1887
the world > plants > particular plants > cultivated or valued plants > plants used in dyeing > [noun] > indigo-plant or shrub
nil1583
indigo1600
anil1712
indigo-plant1758
palay1866
1600 J. Pory tr. J. Leo Africanus Geogr. Hist. Afr. ii. 268 In this prouince groweth great store of Indico, being an herbe like vnto wilde woad.
1613 S. Purchas Pilgrimage 507 Annil or Indigo growes in Cambaia: the herb is like Rosemary.
1657 R. Ligon True Hist. Barbados 24 We found Indico planted, and so well ordered, as it sold in London at very good rates.
1704 Nat. Hist. viii, in L. Wafer New Voy. & Descr. Isthmus Amer. (ed. 2) 236 White Indico. Has..a white Flower..; the Stalks or Roots..yields [sic] a blew juice.
1813 H. Davy Elements Agric. Chem. iii. 82 The indigo of commerce is principally brought from America. It is procured from the Indigofera Argentea or wild indigo, the Indigofera disperma or Gautimala [sic] indigo, and the Indigofera tinctoria or French indigo.
1876 J. Harley Royle's Man. Materia Med. (ed. 6) 657 Indigo..is a small shrubby plant indigenous to the tropical parts of the East and West Indies, and Africa.
1881 R. C. Praed Policy & Passion I. vi. 110 Overgrown with rank grass and creeping indigo.
b. Also, with prefixed word, applied to other plants yielding a blue dye: as Chinese indigo n. (or Japanese indigo) Polygonum tinctorium. Egyptian indigo n. Tephrosia Apollinea ( Treasury Bot. 1866). false indigo n. (or wild indigo) of U.S. (a) the genus Baptisia ( Treasury Bot. 1866); (b) = bastard indigo n. at bastard n., adj., and adv. Compounds 2. Pegu indigo n. Marsdenia tinctoria.See also bastard indigo n. at bastard n., adj., and adv. Compounds 2.
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the world > plants > particular plants > trees and shrubs > shrubs > non-British shrubs > [noun] > North-American
wild tea1728
bastard indigo1730
mountain heath1731
groundsel-tree1736
amorpha1751
buttonbush1754
moosewood1778
pipestem wood1791
modesty1809
sand myrtle1814
wicopy1823
lead-plant1833
false indigo1841
sleek-leaf1845
arrow weed1848
rabbit bush1852
ribbonwood1860
rabbit brush1877
sea myrtle1883
pencil tree1884
tar-bush1884
ocean spray1906
1841 J. W. Loudon Ladies' Compan. to Flower Garden (1846) 159–60 The false Indigo, Amorpha, also belongs to Leguminosæ.
3. The colour yielded by indigo, reckoned by Newton as one of the seven prismatic or primary colours, lying in the spectrum between blue and violet, and now often called blue-violet or violet-blue.
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the world > matter > colour > named colours > blue or blueness > [noun] > indigo blue
indec1320
indy blue1509
indigo1622
Indian blue1664
indigo-blue1712
1622 H. Peacham Compl. Gentleman xii. 116 For a deepe and sad Greene, as in the in-most leaues of trees, mingle Indico and Pinke.
1658 W. Sanderson Graphice 72 Darkest shadows, you may well set off with sap-green and Indico.
1704 I. Newton Opticks i. ii. 88 The Spectrum pt formed by the separated rays, did..appear tinged with this Series of Colours, violet, indico, blue, green, yellow, orange, red, together with all their intermediate degrees in a continual succession perpetually varying.
1704 I. Newton Opticks i. i. 49 It is scarce to be discovered and perceived by sense, except perhaps in the Indigo and Violet.
1831 D. Brewster Treat. Optics vii. 67 There will be formed upon the screen..an oblong Image..of the Sun, containing seven colours, viz. red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet.
1873 J. G. Holland Arthur Bonnicastle i. 27 I fancy the family blood has been growing blue for several generations, and perhaps there's a little indigo in me.
1874 J. A. Symonds Sketches Italy & Greece (1898) I. i. 21 The pine-forests on the mountain-sides are of darkest indigo.
B. adj.
(attributive use of A. 3) Of a deep violet-blue colour. Also in combination to express blended shades, as indigo-black.
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the world > matter > colour > named colours > blue or blueness > [adjective] > indigo blue
Delft blue1815
indigo-blue1832
indigo1856
1856 E. K. Kane Arctic Explor. II. xxiv. 245 We see its deep indigo horizon.
1878 H. S. Wilson Alpine Ascents i. 18 A sky of..a streaky indigo hue.
1897 M. Kingsley Trav. W. Afr. 550 Sometimes it is wreathed with indigo-black tornado clouds.
Compounds
C1. General attributive.
a.
indigo factory n.
Π
1838 Penny Cycl. XII. 460/2 In the indigo factories of Bengal it is the custom for the European factors to provide the seed.
indigo plantation n.
Π
1888 J. Inglis Tent Life Tigerland 106 The general tendency on all indigo plantations is to bring..ryot and landlord into a much more harmonious state.
indigo-planter n.
Π
1772 J. Habersham Let. 12 Aug. in Georgia Hist. Soc. Coll. (1904) VI. 202 We have had a great Quantity of Rain fall, which must hurt the Indigoe Planters.
1849 W. M. Thackeray Pendennis (1850) I. xxv. 236 Amory..set up as indigo planter and failed.
indigo vat n.
Π
1765 T. H. Croker et al. Compl. Dict. Arts & Sci. II. (at cited word) Mr. Hellot describes two indigo vats with urine.
1865–72 H. Watts Dict. Chem. III. 250 Woad..is now used only as an addition to the indigo-vat.
1874 C. Schorlemmer Man. Chem. Carbon Compounds 426 An ‘indigo-vat’ is prepared by mixing one part of powdered indigo with two parts of ferrous sulphate, three parts of slaked lime and 200 parts of water.
b.
indigo-bearing adj.
Π
1887 C. A. Moloney Sketch Forestry W. Afr. 151 Indigo-bearing plants.
indigo-dyed adj.
Π
1887 C. A. Moloney Sketch Forestry W. Afr. 144 Indigo-dyed cotton.
indigo-producing adj.
Π
1876 J. Harley Royle's Man. Materia Med. (ed. 6) 657 It appears that the indigo-producing constituent is indican.
indigo-yielding adj.
Π
1887 C. A. Moloney Sketch Forestry W. Afr. 155 In indigo~yielding plants our knowledge is indeed very contracted.
C2. Special combinations.
indigo-berry n. a name given to: (a) the fruit of Randia latifolia and R. aculeata, from which a blue dye is obtained; (b) that of the South American Passiflora tuberosa ( Cent. Dict. 1890).
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the world > plants > particular plants > cultivated or valued plants > plants used in dyeing > fruit, seed, or flower used in dyeing > [noun] > other seed, flower, or fruit used in dyeing
chouan1712
tesu1823
indigo-berry1866
1866 J. Lindley & T. Moore Treasury Bot. II. 621/1 Indigo-berry, Randia latifolia.
indigo-broom n. an American name of Wild or False Indigo.
indigo-brown n. a brown resinous substance, a mixture of indihumin and indiretin, existing in all kinds of commercial indigo.
ΘΠ
the world > matter > colour > named colours > brown or brownness > colouring matter > [noun] > pigments
brown1549
umberc1568
castory1590
wood-colour1622
burnt umbera1650
Cologne earth1658
Spanish brown1660
raw umber1702
bistre1728
Siena1787
raw sienna1797
Terra Siennaa1817
sepia1821
brown ochre1823
bone brown1831
indigo-brown1838
mummy1854
Cassel brown1860
Prussian brown1860
mineral brown1869
Cappagh brown1875
Verona brown1889
1838 Penny Cycl. XII. 460/1 According to Berzelius the indigo of commerce..consists of indigo-blue, indigo-red, indigo-brown, and a glutinous matter.
indigo-carmine n. indigo-disulphonate (sulphindigotate) of sodium or potassium, used for dyeing silk, and as a water-colour.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > colour > colouring > colouring matter > [noun] > dye > types of dyes
pallOE
sanders1329
raddlea1350
nutgallc1450
bark1565
logwood1581
sanders-wood1615
catechu1682
cate1698
cachou1708
valonia1722
India wood1742
cutch1759
alizari1769
standard1808
iron buff1836
colorine1838
acid dye1840
garancin1843
French tub1846
suranji1848
morindin1849
water blue1851
union dye1852
indigo-carmine1855
hernant1858
pigment colour1862
rosaniline1862
rose aniline1862
bezetta1863
bottom1863
acid colour1873
paraphenylenediamine1873
indigo-extract1874
tin-pulp1874
phthalein1875
sightening1875
chrome1876
rose bengal1878
azo-colours1879
azine1887
basic dye1892
chromotrope1893
garance1896
ice colour1896
xylochrome1898
cross-dye1901
indanthrene1901
Lithol1903
vat dye1903
thioindigo1906
para red1907
vat colour1912
vat dyestuff1914
indanthrone1920
ionamine1922
Soledon1924
Solochrome1924
Solacet1938
indigoid1939
thioindigoid1943
fluorol1956
Procion1956
1855 R. G. Mayne Expos. Lexicon Med. Sci. (1860) Indigocarmina, a term used by some chemists for the purple of indigo, a modification of soluble blue..indigocarmine.
1865–72 H. Watts Dict. Chem. III. 261 Sulphindigotate of potassium occurs in commerce as paste or dry powder, known as precipitated indigo, indigo-carmine, soluble indigo or solid blue..Sulphindigotate of sodium, also called indigo~carmine, resembles the potassium salt, and is used for similar purposes, but is more soluble in saline solutions.
indigo-copper n. the mineral covelline n.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > minerals > types of mineral > sulphides and related minerals > [noun] > niccolite group > copper sulphide
blue copper1728
covelline1850
alisonite1859
covellinite1861
indigo-copper1868
1868 J. D. Dana Syst. Mineral. (ed. 5) 83 Covellite,..Indigo-Copper.
1875 R. Hunt & F. W. Rudler Ure's Dict. Arts (ed. 7) III. 914 Indigo-copper, the native proto~sulphide of copper.
indigo-extract n. see quots.
ΘΠ
the world > matter > colour > colouring > colouring matter > [noun] > dye > types of dyes
pallOE
sanders1329
raddlea1350
nutgallc1450
bark1565
logwood1581
sanders-wood1615
catechu1682
cate1698
cachou1708
valonia1722
India wood1742
cutch1759
alizari1769
standard1808
iron buff1836
colorine1838
acid dye1840
garancin1843
French tub1846
suranji1848
morindin1849
water blue1851
union dye1852
indigo-carmine1855
hernant1858
pigment colour1862
rosaniline1862
rose aniline1862
bezetta1863
bottom1863
acid colour1873
paraphenylenediamine1873
indigo-extract1874
tin-pulp1874
phthalein1875
sightening1875
chrome1876
rose bengal1878
azo-colours1879
azine1887
basic dye1892
chromotrope1893
garance1896
ice colour1896
xylochrome1898
cross-dye1901
indanthrene1901
Lithol1903
vat dye1903
thioindigo1906
para red1907
vat colour1912
vat dyestuff1914
indanthrone1920
ionamine1922
Soledon1924
Solochrome1924
Solacet1938
indigoid1939
thioindigoid1943
fluorol1956
Procion1956
1874 C. Schorlemmer Man. Chem. Carbon Compounds 427 They [pot. & sod. indigotindisulphonates] are found in commerce under the name of ‘indigo-carmine’ or ‘indigo-extract’.
1889 H. F. Morley & M. M. P. Muir Watts' Dict. Chem. (rev. ed.) II. 757/2 By dyeing from a bath of indigo-di-sulphonic acid (‘sulphindigotic acid’, ‘indigo-carmine’, or ‘indigo-extract’).
indigo-finch n. = indigo-bird n.
indigo-gelatine n. = indigo-gluten n.
Π
1889–96 G. M'Gowan tr. A. Bernthsen Text-bk. Org. Chem. (ed. 3) 469 In addition to indigo-blue (indigotin), commercial indigo contains indigo-gelatine, indigo-brown, and indigo-red, all of which can be extracted from it by solvents.
indigo-gluten n. the glutinous matter found in commercial indigo.
Π
1865–72 H. Watts Dict. Chem. III. 257 To obtain it [indigo-brown], the indigo-gluten is first removed by treating the indigo with dilute sulphuric..acid.
indigo-green n. a green substance obtained from indigo by adding potash to an alcoholic solution of an alkaline hyposulphindigotate ( Ure's Dict. Arts 1875).
indigo-mill n. a name for the cistern in which indigo is triturated to a fine paste (E. H. Knight Pract. Dict. Mech. 1875).
indigo-purple n. purple obtained from indigo by the action of fused sodium sulphate.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > colour > named colours > purple or purpleness > purple dye or pigment > [noun]
turnsole1375
cork1483
jarecork1483
orchil1483
purple1519
purpurisse1519
archil1551
waycoriant1658
orchilla1703
cudbear1772
purple lake1785
imperial purple1788
mauve?1796
phenicin1823
French purple1830
indigo-purple1838
mauve1859
Perkin's mauve1859
violine1859
mauveine1863
purple of Cassiusc1865
tyroline1867
Paris violet1868
Hofmann violet1869
methyl violet1873
punicin1879
crystal violet1885
chrome violet1892
mineral violet1913
Monastral1936
manganese purple1937
1838 Penny Cycl. XII. 460/2 This solution of indigotin..has been called sulphate of indigo. According to Berzelius, it contains indigo-purple, sulphate of indigo, and hyposulphate of indigo.
1865–72 H. Watts Dict. Chem. III. 257 Indigo-purple…probably consists of sulphindigotate or sulphophœnicate of sodium.
1865–72 H. Watts Dict. Chem. III. 261 Sulphophœnicic acid, 2C8H5NO.SO3, Indigo-purple, Phœnicin, Sulphopurpuric acid. This acid is formed when sulphuric acid is allowed to act upon indigo for a short time, or not in excess.
indigo-purpurin n. = indirubin n.
indigo-red n. = indirubin n.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > chemistry > organic chemistry > organic dyes > [noun] > indican derivatives
indigogen1838
indigo-red1838
indifuscin1859
indirubin1859
indicanine1865
indifulvin1865
indiglucin1865
indihumin1865
indiretin1865
indigo-white1874
1838Indigo-red [see indigo-brown n.].
1881 H. Watts Dict. Chem. 3rd Supp. 1086 When an aqueous solution of indican is boiled..and..then decomposed by acids, [it] yields, no longer indigo blue, but indigo-red, and other products.
indigo-snake n. U.S. the gopher-snake, Spilotes Couperi.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > reptiles > order Squamata (lizards and snakes) > suborder Ophidia (snakes) > types of snake > [noun] > family Colubridae > drymarchon couperi (indigo-snake)
gopher-snake1837
cribo1871
indigo-snake1884
1884–5 Riverside Nat. Hist. (1888) III. 367 Spilotes couperi..is known by the negroes as indigo or gopher-snake.
indigo-sulphate n. (also sulphate of indigo) see quots.
Π
1875 R. Hunt & F. W. Rudler Ure's Dict. Arts (ed. 7) II. 906 The compounds [of indigo-sulphuric or sulphindigotic acid] are called indigo-sulphates, and are, like the acid, of a dark blue colour... The indigo-sulphates of the alkalis may..be prepared by steeping wool, previously well cleaned, into the solution in sulphuric acid.
indigo-sulphonic acids n. (popularly indigo-sulphuric acids) i.e. indigo monosulphonic and indigo disulphonic acids, products of the action of sulphuric acid on indigo-blue.
Π
1881 H. Watts Dict. Chem. 3rd Supp. 1088 A peculiar modification of commercial indigosulphonic acid (commonly called indigosulphuric acid).
1889 H. F. Morley & M. M. P. Muir Watts' Dict. Chem. (rev. ed.) II. 758/1 Indigo-mono-sulphonic acid, C16H9N2O2(SO3H), Phœnicine sulphuric acid: a blue powder formed by allowing to stand some time a mixture of indigo with ordinary sulphuric acid.
1889 H. F. Morley & M. M. P. Muir Watts' Dict. Chem. (rev. ed.) II. 758/1 Indigo-di-sulphonic acid, C16H8N2O2(SO3H)2, Sulphindigotic acid, Cæruline-sulphuric-acid, Indigo-extract.
indigo weed n. = indigo-broom n.
ΘΚΠ
the world > plants > particular plants > cultivated or valued plants > plants used in dyeing > [noun] > other dye-plants and plant parts
turnsole1578
puccoon1609
indigo weed1785
African turmeric1888
carajura1966
1785 M. Cutler in Mem. Amer. Acad. Arts & Sci. 1 473 Indigofera... Indigoweed... A durable pale blue may be obtained from the leaves and small branches.
1852 Trans. Michigan Agric. Soc. 3 197 My timber is generally oak, with some hickory, indigo weed, tea weed.
1884 W. Miller Dict. Eng. Names Plants Indigo-weed, Baptisia tinctoria.
indigo-yellow n. ‘a substance produced by heating hyposulphindigotate of calcium with lime-water in contact with air; it is a transparent yellow mass’ (Watts Dict. Chem. 1865–72).
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1900; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.adj.1555