Valiant Flash Crimson

Latin valēns, strong — present-participle of valēre, sharing root with English value and valor. As a color modifier, valiant implies a saturated-and-courageous-and-firm quality, the deep-rich color of Crusader-and-Knight-Templar military-religious-order vestment. Sits at the bold-and-chivalrous end of the grid, parallel to gallant and heroic in usage.

Middle English flasshen, to-splash-or-burst. As a color modifier, flash implies a sudden-and-bursting-and-bright quality, the visual register of lightning-strike-and-camera-flash hand-sudden-and-bursting-and-bright lightning-strike-and-camera-flash-and-magnesium-powder flashed-and-sudden-and-bursting surfaces under lightning-strike-and-camera-flash-and-magnesium-powder split-second-burst storm-cloud-and-studio-light. Sits at the modifier-and-mood end of the grid, parallel to spark and blaze 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.