alkanna
|al-kan-na|
C2
/ælˈkænə/
dye-producing plant
Etymology
Etymology Information
'alkanna' originates from Arabic, specifically the word 'al-ḥinnā', where 'al-' meant 'the' and 'ḥinnā' referred to 'henna'.
Historical Evolution
'al-ḥinnā' transformed into the medieval Latin word 'alcanna', and eventually became the modern English word 'alkanna'.
Meaning Changes
Initially, it referred to the henna plant, but over time it evolved to refer to a genus of plants used for dye.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a genus of flowering plants in the borage family, known for their bright blue flowers and roots that produce a red dye.
The alkanna plant is often used for its dye properties.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/06/24 04:51