Cinnabar and
cinnabarite (pronounced and ), likely deriving from the Greek κινναβαρι (
kinnabari), refer to the common bright scarlet to brick-red form of
mercury(II) sulfide, formula HgS, that is the most common source
ore for refining
elemental mercury, and is the historic source for the brilliant red or scarlet pigment termed
vermilion and associated red mercury pigments.