Scarlet (3)
I believe the answer is:
red
'scarlet' is the definition.
(I know that scarlet can be written as red)
This is all the clue.
(Other definitions for red that I've seen before include "- - poker: Kniphofia" , "Type of wine" , "A colourful communist" , "socialist?" , "Colour of Merlot wine" .)