Triumphant Tufted Crimson

Latin triumphāns, celebrating victory — present-participle of triumphāre. As a color modifier, triumphant implies a saturated-and-celebratory-and-victorious quality, the deep-rich color of Roman-Imperial-period triumphal-arch spolia relief and Arch-of-Titus victory imagery. Sits at the bold-and-celebratory end of the grid, parallel to victorious and conquering.

Old French touffe, tuft. As a color modifier, tufted implies a hand-tufted-and-puffed quality, the visual register of Edwardian-and-Belle-Époque-tufted-upholstery hand-tufted-and-puffed-and-upholstered velvet-and-silk-and-leather tufted-and-puffed-upholstery surfaces under Edwardian-and-Belle-Époque hand-tufted-upholstery-and-cushion light. Sits at the modifier-and-texture end of the grid, parallel to fluff and flock 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.