Phrase guide

lipstick tree

noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˌlɪpstɪk ˈtɹiː/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • General-American: /ˌlɪpstɪk ˈtɹi/
  • rhymes with -iː

1

noun

Meaning 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.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: achiote, anatto, annatto, arnatto

Antonyms: none provided

History

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).