'henna' originates from Arabic, specifically the word 'ḥinnāʾ', where 'ḥinnāʾ' referred to the plant and its dye.

'ḥinnāʾ' was adopted into English through Middle French 'henné', eventually becoming the modern English word 'henna'.

Initially, it referred to the plant and its dye, and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.