Definition

Noun: 1. A tall ornamental plant: Refers specifically to a tall, showy, tropical American annual plant (Amaranthus cruentus, or a similar species in the Amaranthus genus) characterized by hairy stems, long flower spikes (typically red), and leaves that are deeply colored with purple. Its seeds are edible and often used as a cereal or grain.

Usage Notes

• This is a compound noun that functions as a single unit to name a specific type of plant. It is primarily used in botanical, horticultural, and agricultural contexts.
• It is often written with a hyphen: gentleman's-cane.

Examples

• The garden's centerpiece was a magnificent gentleman's-cane, its red spikes towering over the other flowers.
• Gentleman's-cane is valued not only for its beauty but also for its nutritious seeds.
• He collected the seeds from the gentleman's-cane to use in his morning porridge.

Advanced Usage

• The term can be used metonymically to refer to the seeds of the plant.
  • This bread is made with flour from gentleman's-cane.

Variants and Related Words

• Prince's-feather: A common synonym for the same or a very similar plant ().
• Amaranth: The broader genus name for this group of plants. The seeds are often called "amaranth grain."
• Love-lies-bleeding (): A related ornamental species with long, drooping red flower clusters.

Synonyms

• Prince's-feather
• Red amaranth
• Purple amaranth
• Grain amaranth (when emphasizing the edible seeds)

Different Meanings

• This term has a highly specific meaning and is not commonly used in other contexts. It does not refer to a literal cane (walking stick) belonging to a gentleman.

Noun

1. tall showy tropical American annual having hairy stems and long spikes of usually red flowers above leaves deeply flushed with purple; seeds often used as cereal