Definition

Noun 1. A type of lichen used for dyeing: Crottle refers to any of several lichens, especially from the genus Parmelia, that yield reddish-brown or purple dyes.

Usage

• Crottle is a specific term used primarily in the context of traditional dyeing, botany, and natural history.
• It functions as a mass noun (uncountable) when referring to the dyestuff material itself.

Examples

• The weaver collected crottle from the rocks to prepare a natural dye for the wool.
• Historically, crottle was an important source of color for tweeds in some regions.

Advanced Usage

• The term is chiefly used in Scottish and Irish English, relating to traditional practices.
• In botanical contexts, it specifies lichens with dye-producing properties, not all lichens.

Variants and Related Words

• Crottal: A variant spelling of .
• Parmelia: The genus name for many lichens identified as crottle.
• Orchella weed / Archil: Other lichen-based dyes, similar in use but from different species (e.g., ).

Synonyms

• Dye lichen: A descriptive synonym.
• Litmus lichen (in some contexts): Related, as some dye lichens are also used to make litmus.

Notes on Meaning

• The word refers specifically to the lichen as a raw material for creating dye, not to the color or the dyeing process itself.
• It does not refer to a tool, a container, or a type of fabric.

Noun

1. any of several lichens of the genus Parmelia from which reddish brown or purple dyes are made