Mid 16th century; earliest use found in Andrew Borde (c1490–1549), physician and author. From Middle French, French alkermès scarlet grain formed by the dried bodies of scale insects found in the Mediterranean region on the kermes oak, medicinal preparation containing these insects, Italian liqueur coloured red with kermes, apparently from Spanish alquermes (although this is first attested slightly later: 1555) from Arabic al-qirmiz from al the + qirmiz. Compare Catalan alquermes, Portuguese alquermes, Italian alchermes.