any of a class of water-soluble glycosidic pigments, esp those responsible for the red and blue colours in flowers. They are closely related to vitamins E and P
Word origin
C19: from antho- + -cyanin, from Greek kuanos dark blue
anthocyanin in American English
(ˌænθoʊˈsaɪəˌnɪn; ˌænθoʊˈsaɪəˌnɪn)
noun
a water-soluble, reddish or blue pigment in flowers, plants, and some insects