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

See Examples For:

puccoon

In late April when the mosquitoes, flies, and gnats come out, Kainta shows me how a layer of bear grease mixed with a powder of red puccoon root keeps the bugs away.

From "Blood on the River" by Elisa Carbone

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 "Blood on the River" by Elisa Carbone

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

From The History of Virginia, in Four Parts by Robert Beverley

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

From Voices; Birth-Marks; The Man and the Elephant by Mathew Joseph Holt

They very often set up pyramidal stones and pillars, which they color with puccoon, and other sorts of paint, and which they adorn with peak, roenoke, &c.

From The History of Virginia, in Four Parts by Robert Beverley