Dictionary

lipstick tree en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˌlɪpstɪk ˈtɹi/ (General-American)
• (Southern-England) audio
• /ˌlɪpstɪk ˈtɹiː/ (Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

From lipstick + tree, from the resemblance of the open fruit pods of the plant to red lips, or from the fact that the consistency of the arils surrounding its seeds is similar to that of lipstick (see the 1942 quotation).

Meanings

1. The shrub Bixa orellana, which is native to Mexico and northern South America; the arils covering its seeds are a source of the orange-red colourant annatto, and the ground seeds are used in traditional Caribbean, Central American, and South American cuisine.
   • Along the coast road to Guayaquil are numerous plantations: cocoa, coffee, castor bean, fibers, and bananas. Here grow the tropical lipstick trees – source of color for foods — and the flowering African tulips. 1985, Helen A. Wolfe, chapter 2, in Adventure Bound: From Backpacking in New Zealand to Bushwhacking in South Africa, Mount Dora, Fla.: Professional Press, →ISBN, page 56:
   • Among flowering trees and shrubs of the Kona Coast, kalu, or yellow mimosa, is common, as is the yellow Timor shower, as is the lipstick tree, whose pods give an orange-red substance good not only for lips but—if local claims are true—for margarine. 1960, Sydney Clark, All the Best in Hawaii (Sydney Clark Travel Book), New York, N.Y.: Dodd, Mead & Company, →OCLC, page 338:
   • If you're curious about what is a macadamia nut, turn left at the sign: royal hawaiian macadamia orchard. A narrow road bumps 3 miles through a forest of lipstick trees to one of Hawaii's new pioneer industries. 1963, Bob Krauss, “Hawaii”, in Travel Guide to the Hawaiian Islands: Oahu, Kauai, Hawaii, Maui, Molokai, Lanai, New York, N.Y.: Coward-McCann, →OCLC, page 306:
   • Crushed and infused in warm water, the roots of the lipstick tree increases male desire. However, the seeds of the lipstick tree can also be used as an alternative to saffron and is added to tandoori curry to produce a red colour. 2011, Rosabelle Boswell, “Imbibing Scent and Experiencing Sexuality”, in Re-presenting Heritage in Zanzibar and Madagascar, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: Organisation for Social Science Research in Eastern and Southern Africa, →ISBN, page 114:
   • Bixa Orellana. Lipstick Tree, Annatto. A small tree producing ovate leaves, panicles of pink to rose flowers, and prickly tan capsules which contain seeds covered with a red coating that is the consistency of lipstick and can be used as a coloring agent. (Bixaceae.) 1942 March, W. H. Friend, “Trees Other than Palms”, in Plants of Ornamental Value for the Rio Grande Valley of Texas (Texas Agricultural Experiment Station Bulletin; no. 609), College Station, Tex.: Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas, →OCLC, page 20:
   • Achiote or lipstick trees (Bixa orellana) are tropical trees locally found in American, Caribbean, and East Indian woodlands[…]. 2020, Jatinder Singh, Harmanpreet Meehnian, Parnika Gupta, Madan L. Verma, “Food Colours: The Potential Sources of Food Adulterants and Their Food Safety Concerns”, in Madan L. Verma, editor, Biotechnological Approaches in Food Adulterants (A Science Publishers Book), Boca Raton, Fla.: CRC Press, →ISBN, page 84:

Forms

Synonyms

annatto · achiote · arnatto · anatto