cochineal is derived from the french "cochenille", derived from spanish "cochinilla", in turn derived from latin "coccinus" meaning "scarlet-colored", or from the latin "coccum", meaning "berry yielding scarlet dye". see also the related word "kermes", which is the source of a similar but weaker mediterranean dye also called crimson, which was used to color cloth red before discovery of cochineal in the new world. some sources identify the spanish source word for cochineal as "cochinilla" "wood louse" (a diminutive form of spanish "cochino", cognate with french "cochon", meaning "pig")."