Praetorian Sill 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.

Old English syll, threshold-beam. As a color modifier, sill implies a horizontal-bottom-of-window-or-door quality, the visual register of English-cottage-and-farmhouse hand-cut horizontal-window-and-door bottom-edge sill-and-threshold architectural surfaces under English-cottage-and-farmhouse sill-edge light. Sits at the modifier-and-architecture end of the grid, parallel to lintel and truss 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.