puccoon

American  

[puh-koon] / pəˈkun /

noun

1. any of certain plants that yield a red dye, as the bloodroot and certain plants belonging to the genus Lithospermum, of the borage family.

2. the dye itself.

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puccoon British  

/ pəˈkuːn /

noun

1. Also called: alkanet.  any of several North American boraginaceous plants of the genus Lithospermum, esp L. canescens, that yield a red dye See also gromwell

2. any of several other plants that yield a reddish dye, esp the bloodroot ( red puccoon )

3. the dye from any of these plants

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Etymology

Origin of puccoon

First recorded in 1605–15, from Virginia Algonquian ( English spelling) poughkone the herb Lithospermum vulgare and the red dye made from its root (cognate with Unami Delaware pé˙kɔ˙n “bloodroot”)

Example Sentences

The red puccoon dye protects my back, chest, arms, and legs from insects and the burning of the sun, and my moccasins protect my feet for running.

From Literature

At their suggestion his sign was painted with puccoon root stain upon the sides of the wagon covers.

From Project Gutenberg

They have the puccoon and musquaspen, two roots, with which the Indians use to paint themselves red.

From Project Gutenberg

They stained the head and shoulder red with the juice of the puccoon.

From Project Gutenberg

They two have strings of pearl thicker than the stem of the grape vine; they are painted with puccoon, and the feathers of the bluebird and the red-bird are upon them.

From Project Gutenberg