Magisterial Mirth Crimson

Latin magisterium, teacher's office — adjectival suffix -al. As a color modifier, magisterial implies a saturated-and-authoritative-and-formal quality, the deep-rich color of Qing-dynasty civil-magistrate court-and-ritual textiles and Imperial-Examination scholar-class livery. Sits at the bold-and-authoritative end of the grid, parallel to authoritative and commanding.

Old English myrgth, joy-or-pleasure. As a color modifier, mirth implies a hearty-and-laughing-and-festive quality, the visual register of Twelfth-Night-and-Mardi-Gras-mirth hand-hearty-and-laughing-and-festive Twelfth-Night-and-Mardi-Gras-and-Saturnalia mirthed-and-hearty-and-laughing-and-festive surfaces under Twelfth-Night-and-Mardi-Gras-and-Saturnalia banquet-hall-and-festival-square candlelit-revelry-light. Sits at the modifier-and-mood end of the grid, parallel to glee and merry 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.