amaranth

noun

am·​a·​ranth ˈa-mə-ˌran(t)th How to pronounce amaranth (audio)
1
: any of a large genus (Amaranthus of the family Amaranthaceae, the amaranth family) of coarse annual herbs with clusters of small green, dark pink, red, or purplish flowers and including forms cultivated as food crops and various pigweeds
2
: a flower that never fades
3
: a pinkish or rosy red
4
: a red azo dye

Examples of amaranth in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Some is combined with flax, quinoa, buckwheat, amaranth, sunflower, sesame, rye and sprouted wheat to become Seeded Utility Bread. Anne Brockhoff, Kansas City Star, 30 Jan. 2024 This kind of arrangement will have a waterfall of flowers, often simulated by amaranth. Gia Yetikyel, Vogue, 25 Oct. 2023 So were mini coffins used as place settings and cascades of red amaranth flowers meant to mimic dripping blood. Tammy Lagorce, New York Times, 26 Oct. 2023 Add the amaranth and cook, shaking the skillet, until the amaranth begins to smell toasty and about half the seeds have popped, 1 to 2 minutes. Sean Sherman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Nov. 2023 Starters made using teff, amaranth, and buckwheat were all lacking the acetic acid bacteria. Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 12 Oct. 2023 Transfer the amaranth to a plate to cool to room temperature. Sean Sherman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Nov. 2023 On a hot, dry August day, Mohammad Haji and Ricardo Diaz examined their plots at a community farm in Boring, its fields full of tomatoes, amaranth, corn, peppers, onions, squash, beans and sunflowers. oregonlive, 6 Sep. 2023 This protein powder does have a fairly long ingredient list packed with plant foods like amaranth, sacha inchi, Jerusalem artichoke, kale, turmeric, and acai. Isabel Vasquez Rd Ldn, Health, 28 Aug. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'amaranth.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin amarantus, a flower, from Greek amaranton, from neuter of amarantos unfading, from a- + marainein to waste away

First Known Use

1616, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of amaranth was in 1616

Dictionary Entries Near amaranth

Cite this Entry

“Amaranth.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/amaranth. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

amaranth

noun
am·​a·​ranth ˈam-ə-ˌran(t)th How to pronounce amaranth (audio)
: any of various herbs including some considered weeds and others grown for their colorful leaves or spikes of flowers

Medical Definition

amaranth

noun
am·​a·​ranth ˈam-ə-ˌran(t)th How to pronounce amaranth (audio)
1
: any plant of the genus Amaranthus
2
: a red acid azo dye C20H11N2Na3O10S3 that is used chiefly in coloring foods, beverages, and pharmaceutical preparations and in dyeing wool and silk

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