n. any soluble pigment used for dyeing the hair, fabric etc
the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English
n. A material used for dyeing.
The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
n. In com., any dyewood, lichen, powder, or dye-cake used in dyeing and staining.
WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
n. a usually soluble substance for staining or coloring e.g. fabrics or hair
Word Usage
"In a few cases the dyestuff is a zinc compound, and zinc in small traces may possibly be fixed by the material, but this metal is not known to be actively noxious."