amaranth

American  

[am-uh-ranth] / ˈæm əˌrænθ /

noun

1. an imaginary, undying flower.

2. any plant of the genus Amaranthus, some species of which are cultivated as food and some for their showy flower clusters or foliage.

3. the grain of certain Amaranthus species, used for food and noted as an important staple grain of the Aztecs.

4. Chemistry. a purplish-red, water-soluble powder, C 20 H 11 N 2 O 10 Na 3 , an azo dye used chiefly to color pharmaceuticals, food, and garments.

5. purpleheart.

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amaranth British  

/ ˈæməˌrænθ /

noun

1. poetic an imaginary flower that never fades

2. any of numerous tropical and temperate plants of the genus Amaranthus, having tassel-like heads of small green, red, or purple flowers: family Amaranthaceae See also love-lies-bleeding tumbleweed pigweed

3. a synthetic red food colouring ( E123 ), used in packet soups, cake mixes, etc

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Etymology

Origin of amaranth

First recorded in 1545–55; from French amarante or New Latin amaranthus (genus name), from Latin amarantus (masculine noun), alteration of Greek amáranton “unfading flower,” noun use of neuter singular of amárantos “unfading, imperishable,” equivalent to a- a- ⁶ ( def. ) ( an- ¹ ( def. ) ) + maran- (stem of maraínein “to fade”) + -tos verbal adjective suffix; -th- as if from Greek ánthos “flower”

Example Sentences

Heavy use of longstanding herbicides, like glyphosate, the main ingredient in Bayer’s Roundup, has contributed to resistance developing among weeds such as waterhemp and palmer amaranth.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 6, 2026

Rich in protein and fiber and often used as a grain, amaranth seeds were a staple of many Indigenous people’s diets in Guatemala.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 25, 2024

Only starters made using teff, amaranth and buckwheat were lacking the acetic acid bacteria.

From Science Daily • Oct. 11, 2023

On the farm, people grow culturally relevant produce like terere, kunde and managu — amaranth, cowpeas leaves and African nightshade.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 12, 2023

Abdul Cader, the medicine man, was sitting at a bench outside, pounding amaranth leaves.

From "The Boy Who Met a Whale" by Nizrana Farook