Praetorian Bergamot Crimson

Latin praetōriānus, of the praetor — adjectival suffix, referring to the Roman-Imperial elite guard-cohorts. As a color modifier, praetorian implies a saturated-and-elite-and-imperial-guard quality, the deep-rich color of Roman-Praetorian-Guard elite-imperial-bodyguard scarlet-tunic-and-bronze-armor military-formation. Sits at the bold-and-formal end of the grid, parallel to spartan and imperial.

Italian bergamotta, Calabrian-citrus-and-Earl-Grey-tea. As a color modifier, bergamot implies a Calabrian-citrus-and-Earl-Grey-tea quality, the visual register of Calabrian-bergamot-and-Earl-Grey-tea hand-Calabrian-citrus-and-Earl-Grey-tea Calabrian-bergamot-and-Earl-Grey-tea-and-Reggio-di-Calabria bergamot-and-Calabrian-citrus surfaces under Calabrian-bergamot-and-Earl-Grey-tea-and-Reggio-di-Calabria Reggio-di-Calabria-and-Twinings-Earl-Grey Calabrian-and-tea-light. Sits at the modifier-and-flavor end of the grid, parallel to zest and balm in usage.

From the Old Spanish cremesin, itself from the Arabic qirmiz — the kermes scale insect, dried and ground into a brilliant carmine dye prized in the medieval Mediterranean. For centuries the most expensive red on a draper's shelf, reserved for cardinals, kings, and the cloth that gave English the word crimson. Cooler than scarlet, deeper than rose; the color of pomegranate seeds and a serious occasion.