A plant of the borage family whose roots yield a red dye, also known as alkanet. The dye has been used for coloring cosmetics, food, and textiles.
From Arabic al-ḥinnāʾ, literally 'the henna', with the Arabic definite article al- attached. The word entered English via Medieval Latin alcanna in the 16th century. European traders encountered this dye plant through Arabic merchants who had developed its commercial uses.
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