henna

American  

[hen-uh] / ˈhɛn ə /

noun

1. an Asian shrub or small tree, Lawsonia inermis, of the loosestrife family, having elliptic leaves and fragrant flowers.

2. a reddish-orange dye or cosmetic made from the leaves of this plant.

3. a color midway between red-brown and orange-brown.

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verb (used with object)

hennaed, hennaing

1. to tint or dye with henna.

henna British  

/ ˈhɛnə /

noun

1. a lythraceous shrub or tree, Lawsonia inermis, of Asia and N Africa, with white or reddish fragrant flowers

2. a reddish dye obtained from the powdered leaves of this plant, used as a cosmetic and industrial dye

3. a reddish-brown or brown colour

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verb

1. (tr) to dye with henna

Etymology

Origin of henna

First recorded in 1590–1600, henna is from the Arabic word hinnā'

Example Sentences

Light-up toys flashed in every kid’s hands and fireworks exploded overhead while henna artists inked swirling patterns onto excited patrons.

From Slate • Apr. 5, 2025

“All my friends were Black, and we got together and cooked Indian food and painted henna on our hands, and I never felt uncomfortable with my cultural background.”

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 20, 2024

Researchers used lawsone, a red-orange compound found in henna leaves that has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties, to boost the performance of cotton.

From Science Daily • Feb. 8, 2024

They were returning home from having henna applied in preparation for a friend’s wedding scheduled for Saturday.

From Seattle Times • Jun. 22, 2023

Long wild hair with a glint of deep henna red sent unruly fingers down into the small of her back.

From "The God of Small Things" by Arundhati Roy