Incanous
/ɪnˈkeɪnəs/noun
Covered with fine white or gray hairs, or having a hoary gray appearance, especially in botany.
Did you know?In botanical descriptions, incanous hairs can give leaves a pale, almost moonlit appearance while helping reflect sunlight and reduce water loss.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*kan-
“A reconstructed root associated with gray or hoary coloration; its exact reconstruction is debated.”
Classical Latin
Latin
canus
“Gray, white-haired, hoary, or aged in appearance.”
Classical Latin
Latin
incanus
“Very gray or extremely hoary, formed with an intensifying prefix.”
Late Latin / New Latin
Latin
incanosus
“Hoary or covered with grayish hairs; a descriptive form used in learned and botanical vocabulary.”
19th Century
English
incanous
“Having a grayish, whitish, or hoary covering, especially of fine plant hairs.”
Modern English
English
incanous
“Botanically, densely covered with fine gray or white hairs.”