annatto

American  

[uh-nat-oh, uh-nah-toh] / əˈnæt oʊ, əˈnɑ toʊ /

Sometimes anatto

noun

annattos plural

1. Also called lipstick tree.  a small tree, Bixa orellana, of tropical America.

2. Also arnatto a yellowish-red dye obtained from the pulp enclosing the seeds of this tree, used for coloring fabrics, butter, varnish, etc.

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annatto British  

/ əˈnætəʊ /

noun

1. a small tropical American tree, Bixa orellana, having red or pinkish flowers and pulpy seeds that yield a dye: family Bixaceae

2. the yellowish-red dye obtained from the pulpy outer layer of the coat of the seeds of this tree, used for colouring fabrics, butter, varnish, etc

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• annattos
  plural

Etymology

Origin of annatto

Borrowed into English from Carib around 1675–85

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

annatto

They'll also add natural coloring agents such as beetroot, annatto, caramel and vegetable juices that make plant-based alternatives look more like the color of traditional meat.

From Salon ● Nov. 25, 2024

Pogiboy also offers an inasal, or grilled, chicken, its skin bronzed from a marinade featuring annatto oil, lemongrass, coconut vinegar and Royal Tru orange soda.

From Washington Post ● Nov. 29, 2021

It is a pungent spice blend of achiote or annatto, salt, cumin, coriander, garlic, oregano, and black pepper.

From Salon ● Oct. 8, 2021

This is my take on sazón, minus the MSG, and with turmeric added along with the standard annatto to imbue dishes with a golden hue.

From New York Times ● Mar. 22, 2021

Mami propped up her pigeon pea and annatto bushes, which had been flattened by the storm, and soon they bloomed again, their leaves as new and fresh as babies.

From "When I Was Puerto Rican" by Esmeralda Santiago