Al
/æl/noun
An Indian tree, especially the Indian mulberry or a related dye-producing tree.
Did you know?The name is associated with Indian trees whose roots or bark were traditionally used to produce reddish dyes, linking the word to ancient textile craft and ritual color.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Sanskrit
Sanskrit
āla
“A tree or plant name, probably referring to an Indian dye-producing species.”
Medieval Indo-Aryan
Prakrit
āla
“A regional continuation of the botanical name.”
Medieval Hindi
Hindi
āl
“The name of an Indian tree, including the Indian mulberry.”
19th Century
English
al
“An English borrowing used for an Indian tree or dye-producing plant.”
Modern English
English
al
“A specialized botanical noun for an Indian tree.”