Amaranth

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈæməɹænθ/

Definitions

1. A bloom celebrated for its enduring charm denotes eternal life and loyalty while also representing a plant's seeds used for colorants in fabrics and a highly nutritious ancient grain valued for its protein content
2. This flowering plant, noted for its lasting appeal, signifies everlasting existence and devotion, while its seeds serve as dye for textiles and the grain is recognized for its high nutrient and protein levels
3. A flowering species admired for its resilience symbolizes immortality and fidelity, while its seeds are utilized in dyeing fabrics and its grain is esteemed for its richness in nutrients and proteins

Etymology: The name rests on a negation: the Ancient Greek "amarantos" meant "unfading" or "undying", built from the alpha privative "a-" ("not") and "maraino", "to wither". Greek writers applied it to flowers that kept their colour long after they were cut, and it later became the name of a plant prized for exactly that quality. The word passed into Latin as "amarantus" and then into French as "amarante". English borrowed it either from French or straight from Latin, and the Latin ending was reshaped under the influence of plant names derived from "anthos", Greek for "flower" or "blossom". That is why the modern spelling looks like it ends in a flower. The plant's sense of permanence later spread into symbolism, so the same name now covers the blooms themselves, their seeds used as colourants and as a grain, and the idea of eternal life and loyalty.

Synonyms: eternal flower, flower, herb, plant, grain