alkanet

[al-kuh-net]

noun

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 similar hairy plants, as the bugloss, Anchusa officinalis, or a puccoon of the genus Lithospermum.

alkanet

/ ˈælkəˌnɛt /

noun

1. a European boraginaceous plant, Alkanna tinctoria, the roots of which yield a red dye

2. Also called: anchusin.  alkannin. the dye obtained from this plant

3. any of certain hairy blue-flowered Old World plants of the boraginaceous genus Anchusa (or Pentaglottis ), such as A. sempervirens of Europe See also bugloss

4. another name for puccoon

Word History and Origins

Origin of alkanet¹

1300–50; Middle English < Old Spanish alcaneta, equivalent to alcan ( a ) henna (plant) (< Medieval Latin alchanna < Arabic al the + hinnā̉ henna) + -eta diminutive suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of alkanet¹

C14: from Spanish alcaneta, diminutive of alcana henna, from Medieval Latin alchanna, from Arabic al the + hinnā' henna

Example Sentences

For rosy cheeks, alkanet and cochineal roots were used as the basis for rouge.

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A resinoid coloring matter obtained from alkanet root.

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The ancients deemed this plant one of the four “cordial flowers” for cheering the spirits, the others being the rose, violet, and alkanet.

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On removing from the fire, add three or four small pieces of alkanet root, and keep the vessel closely covered for several hours.

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The plant is sometimes cultivated in Britain, chiefly on the east coast of England, but most of the alkanet of commerce is imported from the Levant or from southern France.

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