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amaranth

[ am-uh-ranth ]
/ ˈæm əˌrænθ /
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noun
an imaginary, undying flower.
any plant of the genus Amaranthus, some species of which are cultivated as food and some for their showy flower clusters or foliage.Compare amaranth family.
the grain of certain Amaranthus species, used for food and noted as an important staple grain of the Aztecs.
Chemistry. a purplish-red, water-soluble powder, C20H11N2O10Na3, an azo dye used chiefly to color pharmaceuticals, food, and garments.
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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 (see an-1) + maran- (stem of maraínein “to fade”) + -tos verbal adjective suffix; -th- as if from Greek ánthos “flower”
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use amaranth in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for amaranth

amaranth
/ (ˈæməˌrænθ) /

noun
poetic an imaginary flower that never fades
any of numerous tropical and temperate plants of the genus Amaranthus, having tassel-like heads of small green, red, or purple flowers: family AmaranthaceaeSee also love-lies-bleeding, tumbleweed, pigweed (def. 1)
a synthetic red food colouring (E123), used in packet soups, cake mixes, etc

Word Origin for amaranth

C17: from Latin amarantus, from Greek amarantos unfading, from a- 1 + marainein to fade
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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