What does amaranth mean?
Amaranth is a noun with three related strands of meaning. Most commonly today it denotes any of various plants of the genus Amaranthus — fast-growing herbs whose tiny, protein-rich seeds are eaten as a gluten-free pseudocereal and whose broad leaves are cooked as greens in cuisines from India to West Africa to the Americas. Secondarily, amaranth names a deep purplish-red colour, used in design and fashion contexts. The word also carries a poetic pedigree: in Greek tradition the amarantos was an imagined flower that never faded, making amaranth an enduring emblem of immortality and undying beauty in classical and later European literature. The name derives from the Greek amarantos, meaning 'unfading' or 'unwithering', a fitting label for a plant prized both at the table and in symbolism. Whether encountered on a menu, a paint chart, or in Milton's verse, amaranth bridges the practical and the mythic.
nounAmaranth is any of various plants of the genus Amaranthus, some grown as leaf vegetables or grain crops, and it also names a deep reddish-purple colour. In classical literature, the amaranth was a fabled unfading flower symbolising immortality.
- Any plant of the genus Amaranthus, especially those cultivated for their edible seeds or leaves (a pseudocereal and leaf vegetable).
- A deep purplish-red colour resembling the flower of the amaranth plant.
- In poetry and classical tradition, an imaginary undying flower symbolising immortality or eternal beauty.
"The baker dusted the loaf with puffed amaranth seeds for a nutty crunch."
"Farmers in the Andes have cultivated amaranth for its protein-rich seeds since pre-Columbian times."
"She painted the dining room walls in a rich shade of amaranth that glowed warmly by candlelight."
The plural 'amaranths' is used when referring to multiple individual plants or flowers; when speaking of the edible seeds or grain, the noun is typically treated as uncountable (e.g. 'a cup of amaranth').
"Several amaranths self-seeded along the edge of the vegetable bed."
The word 'amaranth' literally means 'unfading' — the Greeks named this flower after immortality itself.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of amaranth
The word amaranth comes from the Greek amarantos (ἀμάραντος), meaning 'unfading' or 'unwithering', applied in antiquity to a legendary flower that never died. It entered English in the mid-16th century, initially referring to this mythical immortal bloom before becoming attached to real plants of the genus Amaranthus. The adjective form amaranthine ('of everlasting beauty') derives directly from the same root, and the colour sense developed from the flower's rich reddish-purple hue.
Related word forms
How amaranth is actually used
As a food term, 'amaranth' most often refers to the tiny gluten-free seeds sold whole, popped, or milled into flour, popular in health-food contexts. As a colour term it sits between red and purple on the spectrum. The poetic sense of an 'undying flower' appears mostly in literary or historical writing rather than everyday speech.
Easily confused with amaranth
Amaryllis is a bulbous flowering plant of a different genus entirely; amaranth refers to Amaranthus species valued as grain and leafy greens.