amaranth

/ˌæməˈrænθ/

/ˈæmərɒnθ/

Other forms: amaranths

Definitions of amaranth

1. noun

   any of various plants of the genus Amaranthus having dense plumes of green or red flowers; often cultivated for food
   types:

   Amaranthus albus, Amaranthus graecizans, tumbleweed

   bushy plant of western United States

   Amaranthus caudatus, love-lies-bleeding, tassel flower, velvet flower

   young leaves widely used as leaf vegetables; seeds used as cereal

   Amaranthus cruentus, Amaranthus hybridus erythrostachys, Amaranthus hybridus hypochondriacus, gentleman's-cane, prince's-feather, prince's-plume, purple amaranth, red amaranth

   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

   Amaranthus hypochondriacus, pigweed

   leaves sometimes used as potherbs; seeds used as cereal; southern United States to Central America; India and China

   type of:

   herb, herbaceous plant

   a plant lacking a permanent woody stem; many are flowering garden plants or potherbs; some having medicinal properties; some are pests
2. noun

   seed of amaranth plants used as a native cereal in Central and South America
   type of:

   caryopsis, grain

   dry seed-like fruit produced by the cereal grasses: e.g. wheat, barley, Indian corn