Definition

1. Noun:
   • A plant of the genus Amaranthus: Any of various plants, often with dense clusters of small green, red, or purple flowers. Many species are cultivated for their edible leaves, seeds, or as ornamental plants.
   • The seed of such a plant: The small, nutritious seeds of certain amaranth species, used as a grain or cereal.
   • An imaginary, undying flower: A mythical flower that never fades, often used symbolically in poetry and literature.
   • A purplish-red color: A deep reddish-purple color, named after the hue of the flowers of some amaranth plants.

Examples of Usage

• Noun (Plant):
  • The farmer grows amaranth for its highly nutritious leaves.
  • Gardeners value the tall, red amaranth for its striking appearance in flower beds.
• Noun (Seed/Grain):
  • Amaranth is a gluten-free pseudo-cereal rich in protein.
  • She added amaranth to her soup for extra texture and nutrients.
• Noun (Color):
  • The evening sky was a beautiful shade of amaranth.

Advanced Usage

• Symbolic Usage: In literature, "amaranth" can symbolize immortality or eternal beauty, referencing its mythical unfading nature.
  • The poet compared her love to an amaranth, everlasting and true.
• Botanical Context: The term is often used in botanical and agricultural texts to refer to the genus, which includes both valued crops and persistent weeds (e.g., pigweed).
  • The study focused on the drought resistance of cultivated amaranth.

Variants and Related Words

• Amaranthine (adj): Of or like the amaranth flower; eternally beautiful and unfading. Also used to describe a deep purplish-red color.
  • He spoke of her amaranthine youth, a beauty that time could not touch.
• Amaranthus (n): The scientific genus name for the group of plants commonly called amaranth.

Synonyms

• Plant: pigweed (for some wild species), love-lies-bleeding (for the ornamental species ).
• Grain: pseudo-cereal (category including quinoa, buckwheat).
• Color: magenta, fuchsia, purplish-red.

Related Phrases and Compounds

• Globe amaranth: A common name for plants of the genus , which are not true amaranths but have similar, long-lasting flower heads.
• Amaranth flour: Flour made from ground amaranth seeds, used in baking.

Noun

1. any of various plants of the genus Amaranthus having dense plumes of green or red flowers; often cultivated for food
2. seed of amaranth plants used as a native cereal in Central and South America