any of numerous tropical and temperate plants of the genus Amaranthus, having tassel-like heads of small green, red, or purple flowers: family Amaranthaceae
See also love-lies-bleeding, tumbleweed, pigweed (sense 1)
3.
a synthetic red food colouring (E123), used in packet soups, cake mixes, etc
Word origin
C17: from Latin amarantus, from Greek amarantos unfading, from a-1 + marainein to fade