Hemp
/hɛmp/noun
A tall plant of the cannabis family cultivated for fiber, seed, and oil.
Did you know?Hemp is one of the oldest cultivated plants in human history, and its word is so ancient that linguists trace it back to a pre-Germanic source borrowed into multiple Indo-European languages.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*kan(n)a- / *kanab-
“A likely ancient plant name, probably referring to hemp or a related fibrous plant.”
Pre-Germanic
PGmc
*hanapiz
“Hemp; the Germanic plant name that became the ancestor of English hemp.”
Old English
English
hænep
“Hemp, especially the fiber-producing plant.”
Middle English
English
hemp
“Hemp; the fibrous plant used for rope, cloth, and other materials.”
Modern English
English
hemp
“The cannabis plant cultivated for fiber, seed, and oil.”