"Any of a class of reddish or brownish water-insoluble pigments which occur in various barks and other plant tissues, and are polymeric derivatives of tannins", Mid 19th cent.; earliest use found in Henry Watts (1815–1884), chemist. From German Phlobaphen from ancient Greek ϕλοιός bark + βαϕή dye + German -en.[phlobaphene etymology, phlobaphene origin, 英语词源]