Al-Henna
/æl ˈhɛnə/noun
A reddish-brown dye and cosmetic made from the leaves of the henna plant, commonly used for temporary skin decoration and hair coloring.
Did you know?Henna body art has been used for thousands of years across North Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia, often in wedding and life-transition rituals.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Sanskrit
Sanskrit
śyāmā
“A dark or dusky plant name sometimes associated with the henna plant, though the precise transmission into later forms is debated.”
Classical Persian
Persian
ḥinā
“Henna, the plant whose leaves yield a reddish dye.”
Medieval Arabic
Arabic
ḥinnāʾ
“Henna; the Lawsonia plant and its dye.”
Medieval Arabic
Arabic
al-ḥinnāʾ
“The henna; al- is the Arabic definite article.”
17th Century
English
henna
“The plant or reddish dye, borrowed through Arabic and related Middle Eastern forms.”
Modern English
English
al-henna
“A transliterated Arabic-style form meaning “the henna,” used for the plant, dye, or decorative practice.”