alkanet

al·ka·net

A0204100 (ăl′kə-nĕt′)n.1. a. A European perennial herb (Alkanna tinctoria) having cymes of blue flowers and red roots.b. The root of this plant or the red dye extracted from the root.2. Any of various hairy plants of the Eurasian genus Anchusa, having blue or violet flowers grouped on elongated cymes.

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[Middle English, from Old Spanish alcaneta, diminutive of alcana, henna, from Medieval Latin alchanna, from Arabic al-ḥinnā', the henna : al-, the + ḥinnā', henna; see henna.]

alkanet

(ˈælkəˌnɛt) n1. (Plants) a European boraginaceous plant, Alkanna tinctoria, the roots of which yield a red dye2. (Dyeing) Also called: anchusin or alkannin the dye obtained from this plant3. (Plants) any of certain hairy blue-flowered Old World plants of the boraginaceous genus Anchusa (or Pentaglottis), such as A. sempervirens of Europe. See also bugloss4. (Plants) another name for puccoon¹[C14: from Spanish alcaneta, diminutive of alcana henna, from Medieval Latin alchanna, from Arabic al the + hinnā' henna]

al•ka•net

(ˈæl kəˌnɛt)

n. 1. a European plant, Alkanna tinctoria, of the borage family. 2. the root of this plant, yielding a red dye. 3. the dye itself. 4. any of several related plants cultivated for red dye or as an ornamental. [1300–50; Middle English < Old Spanish alcaneta]

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

alkanet - perennial or biennial herb cultivated for its delicate usually blue flowersAnchusa officinalis, buglossanchusa - any of various Old World herbs of the genus Anchusa having one-sided clusters of trumpet-shaped flowers