amaranthine

English

Alternative forms

• amarantine

Etymology

1660s, coined by Milton, originally in sense "unfading", as amaranth +‎ -ine, from Ancient Greek ἀμάραντος (amárantos, “unfading”). Later used for color.^[1]

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˌæm.əˈɹæn.θɪn/, /-θaɪn/

Noun

amaranthine (countable and uncountable, plural amaranthines)

1. A dark reddish-purple colour.
   • 1981, Gene Wolfe, chapter VIII, in The Claw of the Conciliator (The Book of the New Sun; 2), New York: Timescape, →ISBN, page 72:

     The giantesses lift arms like the trunks of sycamores, each finger tipped with an amaranthine talon.

   amaranthine:  

2. The amaranth flower.
   • 1857, Eleanor Duckworth, Milly Wentworth, Poems and Sketches, page 65:

     Ah! when the eternal morning dawns,
     And amaranthines shall displace the thorns […]

Adjective

amaranthine (comparative more amaranthine, superlative most amaranthine)

1. Of a dark reddish purple colour.
2. Unfading, eternal, immortal, infinite.
   • 1667, John Milton, “Book XI”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:

     […] The angelick blast
     Filled all the regions: from their blisful bowers
     Of amarantine shade, fountain or spring,
     By the waters of life, where’er they sat
     In fellowships of joy, the sons of light
     Hasted, resorting to the summons high

   • 1893, Francis Thompson, The Hound of Heaven‎:

     Ah! is Thy love indeed
     A weed, albeit an amaranthine weed,
     Suffering no flowers except its own to mount?

   • 1946, Mervyn Peake, Titus Groan, London: Eyre & Spottiswoode:

     “Fuchsia,” said the Doctor, “come along this evening and I’ll give you a tonic which you must make her take every day. By all that’s amaranthine you really must. […] ”

3. Relating to the mythical amaranth flower that never fades.
4. Relating to, or having the form of plants of the genus Amaranthus.

See also

• Appendix:Colors

References

1. Douglas Harper (2001–2024) “amaranthine”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.