senna

[ sen-uh ]

/ ˈsɛn ə /

noun

any plant, shrub, or tree belonging to the genus Cassia, of the legume family, having pinnate leaves and large clusters of flowers.

any of various cathartic drugs consisting of the dried leaflets of certain of these plants, as one drug (Alexandrian senna) derived from C. acutifolia, or another (Tinnevelly senna) derived from C. angustifolia.

wild senna.

Nearby words

senioritis, seniority, seniority rule, seniti, senlac, senna, sennacherib, sennachie, sennar, sennet, sennett

Origin of senna

1535–45; < New Latin < Arabic sanā

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for senna

Jacob Bernstein on why the Academy snubbed Bill Cunningham New York, Senna, and other crowd-pleasers.
Oscar’s Documentary Myopia: Popular Films Don’t Get Nominated|Jacob Bernstein|February 2, 2012|DAILY BEAST
Enemas of cassia, senna, and sulphate of magnesia have also been used with good effect.
Student's Hand-book of Mushrooms of America, Edible and Poisonous|Thomas Taylor
Indigo, about three or four feet high, grows in great luxuriance in the streets of Tette, and so does the senna plant.
A Popular Account of Dr. Livingstone's Expedition to the Zambesi and Its Tributaries|David Livingstone
The usual conveyance is by means of very large canoes and launches built at Senna.
Missionary Travels and Researches in South Africa|David Livingstone

Prunes or figs cooked with senna leaves and thoroughly strained furnish an excellent adjunct to the diet under such conditions.
Dietetics for Nurses|Fairfax T. Proudfit
Nine hours' journey brought us to the valley of Amjam, where there was a khafilah of senna encamped among the trees.
Narrative of a Mission to Central Africa Performed in the Years 1850-51, Volume 1|James Richardson

British Dictionary definitions for senna (1 of 2)

senna

/ (ˈsɛnə) /

noun

any of various tropical plants of the leguminous genus Cassia, esp C. angustifolia (Arabian senna) and C. acutifolia (Alexandrian senna), having typically yellow flowers and long pods

senna leaf the dried leaflets of any of these plants, used as a cathartic and laxative

senna pods the dried fruits of any of these plants, used as a cathartic and laxative

Word Origin for senna

C16: via New Latin from Arabic sanā

British Dictionary definitions for senna (2 of 2)

Senna

/ (ˈsɛnə) /

noun

Ayrton (ˈɛətən). 1960–94, Brazilian racing driver: world champion (1988, 1990, 1991)

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012