Mād'der, n.

n. [A-S. māddre, māddere.] (Bot.) A plant of the genus Rubia (R. tinctorum). The root is much used in dyeing red, and formerly also in medicine. It is cultivated in France and Holland.

☞ Madder is sometimes used in forming pigments, as lakes, &c., which receive their names from their colors; as, madder carmine, a lake of a carmine color; madder orange, madder purple, and madder yellow, colors prepared from madder.