annatto

American  

[uh-nat-oh, uh-nah-toh] / əˈnæt oʊ, əˈnɑ toʊ /

Sometimes anatto

noun

PLURAL

annattos

1. Also called lipstick tree.  a small tree, Bixa orellana, of tropical America.

2. Also arnatto a yellowish-red dye obtained from the pulp enclosing the seeds of this tree, used for coloring fabrics, butter, varnish, etc.

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annatto British  

/ əˈnætəʊ /

noun

1. a small tropical American tree, Bixa orellana, having red or pinkish flowers and pulpy seeds that yield a dye: family Bixaceae

2. the yellowish-red dye obtained from the pulpy outer layer of the coat of the seeds of this tree, used for colouring fabrics, butter, varnish, etc

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Etymology

Origin of annatto

Borrowed into English from Carib around 1675–85

Example Sentences

Crafted in the U.K. by a team of “expert cheesemakers,” TJ’s Shropshire Blue English Cheese is made with pasteurized cow’s milk, vegetarian-friendly microbial enzyme and annatto, which gives the cheese a beautiful pale orange color.

From Salon

They'll also add natural coloring agents such as beetroot, annatto, caramel and vegetable juices that make plant-based alternatives look more like the color of traditional meat.

From Salon

I watch—and try to stay out of the way of hot pots and scalding dishes—as chef Sandra Helena Barbosa quickly pours oil, tomatoes, onion, lemon, salt, garlic, coriander, and a type of orange-red seed paste called annatto into a special clay pot that she leaves to bubble over high heat for about 15 minutes.

From National Geographic

He has developed a consommé just for his goat birria, one simmered overnight with water, bones, guajillo peppers, annatto seeds, cinnamon, paprika and more.

From Washington Post

Bubbling inside that cauldron is a heady, 17-plus-ingredient stew that includes chiles, ground annatto seeds, cinnamon and banana leaves briefly fried in brisket fat.

From Washington Post