1. A tropical hardwood tree native to South America, or the reddish dye extracted from its wood, historically used in textile production.
Usage: Also called brazilwood.; Historical/archaic in modern usage; primarily encountered in historical or specialized contexts.

Examples

• Medieval dyers prized brasil for its deep red color.
• The brasil tree was heavily harvested during the colonial period.
• Portuguese traders exported brasil wood to Europe in the 16th century.
• The dye from brasil became less common after synthetic alternatives were developed.