Word of the Day
: October 6, 2019amaranthine
playWhat It Means
1 a : of or relating to an amaranth
b : undying
2 : of a pinkish or rosy red color
amaranthine in Context
"At 37-years-old, most players accept they have reached their twilight years, yet goalkeepers can lead an almost amaranthine existence…." — Chris Tait, The Herald (Glasgow, Scotland), 2 Apr. 2012
"Locals call it the 'pink moment'—this phenomenon where the sky takes on a soft, amaranthine glow at dusk. Unlike most sunsets, this one comes from the east, where the Topatopa Mountains act like a mirror to reflect and diffuse the orb's light over Ojai Valley in Ventura County." — Ginny Prior, The Mercury News (California), 9 Oct. 2013
Did You Know?
Long ago poets conceived of a flower that did not fade and christened it amaranth. The appellation is rooted in the Greek word amarantos, meaning "immortal" or "unfading," and amarantus, the Latin name of a flower (probably Celosia cristata). The word amaranthine emerged as an adjective of the imaginary flower and subsequently of anything possessing its undying quality. Amaranth also names a real plant (genus Amaranthus), an herb that some consider a weed and others grow for its colorful leaves and spikes of flowers.
Test Your Vocabulary
What 5-letter word, beginning with "l," is the name of a fruit that was formerly considered to cause indolence and dreamy contentment and was eaten by people in Homer's Odyssey?
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