1. 1. A European perennial herb (Alkanna tinctoria) having cymes of blue flowers and red roots.
   2. The root of this plant or the red dye extracted from the root.
2. Any of various hairy plants of the Eurasian genus Anchusa, having blue or violet flowers grouped on elongated cymes.

[Middle English, from Old Spanish alcaneta, diminutive of alcana, henna, from Medieval Latin alchanna, from Arabic al-ḥinnā', the henna : al-, the + ḥinnā', henna; see henna.]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.