Imperial Greek Crimson

From the Latin imperialis, of the empire — applied to color since the medieval period for the hues reserved for sovereigns and empires: imperial purple of Tyrian dye, imperial yellow of Ming-dynasty porcelain. As a modifier, imperial implies saturation combined with the institutional weight of a color owned by a court. Sits in the bold-and-deep corner, alongside royal.

Latin Graecus, of-Greece. As a color modifier, greek implies a classical-and-marble-and-blue-sea quality, the visual register of Athens-and-Aegean classical-Hellenic temple-and-pottery hand-built marble-and-sea-blue surfaces under Greek-Aegean classical-temple Mediterranean light. Sits at the modifier-and-cultural end of the grid, parallel to roman and hellenic 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.