Skip to main content
Amaranthus cruentus

Amaranthus cruentus

9.9
A tall tropical plant with long red flower spikes and edible seeds
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : amaranto cruento
  • Farmers in several countries grow Amaranthus cruentus both as a grain and as an ornamental plant.

Examples

  • Amaranthus cruentus is often cultivated for its striking red flower spikes and nutritious seeds.

  • The leaves of Amaranthus cruentus are sometimes eaten as a leafy vegetable in traditional dishes.

  • The garden features beautiful Amaranthus cruentus plants.

  • Have you seen the Amaranthus cruentus in bloom?

  • Amaranthus cruentus is often cultivated for its striking red flower spikes and nutritious seeds.

  • Farmers in several countries grow Amaranthus cruentus both as a grain and as an ornamental plant.

  • The garden features beautiful Amaranthus cruentus plants, admired for their vibrant colors.

Synonyms

prince's-feather
vsAmaranthus cruentus
  • UK
1 9.9

A tall garden plant with long colorful flower spikes

is given with purplish leaves above red spikes and seeds used as cereal
Amaranthus hybridus erythrostachys
vsAmaranthus cruentus
  • Specialized
9.9

A tall tropical plant with hairy stems and long red flower spikes whose seeds are used like cereal

is shown with purplish leaves above its flower spikes
gentleman's-cane
vsAmaranthus cruentus
  • Archaic
9.9

A tall tropical plant with long red flower spikes and purple leaves whose seeds are eaten as cereal

focuses more on seeds being used as a cereal than on leaf colour
purple amaranth
vsAmaranthus cruentus
9.9

A tall plant with purple leaves and red flower spikes whose seeds people eat

is the broader ornamental plant described with purplish leaves and seed use
red amaranth
vsAmaranthus cruentus
  • Specialized
8.2

A tall plant with red flowers and edible leaves and seeds

is noted mainly for seeds used as a cereal rather than for leaves
Amaranthus hypochondriacus
vsAmaranthus cruentus
  • Specialized
9.9

A tall plant with red flower spikes whose leaves people eat and whose seeds people use for food

is presented as ornamental with purplish leaves and seeds often used
prince's-plume
vsAmaranthus cruentus
  • US
9.9

A tall American annual with hairy stems, long red flower spikes, and seeds used as cereal

is the specific tropical annual with purplish leaves and cereal seeds

Surface Forms

Morphology

Amaranthus + cruentus

This is a scientific Latin binomial name rather than a regular English compositional phrase; the specific epithet 'cruentus' is Latin (and given as not found in the dictionary) so its meaning is not recoverable by an average B1 learner. Knowing 'Amaranthus' as a genus does not allow the learner to infer the full species meaning or properties, so the overall expression functions as a lexicalized taxonomic label rather than a transparently compositional phrase.

Etymology

Amaranthus cruentus gets its name from old words: Amaranthus comes from Greek meaning 'unfading' or 'never dying', and cruentus is Latin for 'blood-red'. That's why the name fits this tall plant with bright red flower spikes that seem to keep their colour and that also produce seeds people eat.