hen·na / ˈhenə/ • n. 1. the powdered leaves of a tropical shrub, used as a dye to color the hair and decorate the body. 2. the Old World shrub (Lawsonia inermis, family Lythraceae) that produces these leaves, with small pink, red, or white flowers. • v. (hennas, hennaed / ˈhenəd/ , hennaing) [tr.] dye (hair) with henna. • adj. reddish-brown.

henna, name for a reddish or black hair dye obtained from the powdered leaves and young shoots of the mignonette tree, or henna shrub (Lawsonia inermis), an Old World shrub of the loosestrife family. Henna dye has long been in use, as evidenced by Egyptian mummies; the dye is also to decorate the skin with designs.

henna (Egyptian privet) Small shrub, native to the Middle East and n Africa. Since ancient times, people have extracted a red-brown dye from the leaves to colour hair and skin. Family Lythraceae; species Lawsonia inerma.

henna (dye obtained from) Egyptian privet, Lawsonia inermis. XVI. — Arab. hinnā'.

henna •Alana, Anna, bandanna, banner, Branagh, canna, canner, Diana, fanner, Fermanagh, Guyana, Hannah, Havana, hosanna, Indiana, Joanna, lanner, Louisiana, manna, manner, manor, Montana, nana, planner, Pollyanna, Rosanna, savannah, scanner, spanner, Susanna, tanner •Abner • Jaffna • Patna • caravanner •Africana, Afrikaner, Americana, ana, banana, Botswana, bwana, cabana, caragana, Christiana, Dana, darner, Edwardiana, garner, Georgiana, Ghana, Gloriana, Guiana, gymkhana, Haryana, iguana, Lana, lantana, liana, Lipizzaner, Ljubljana, Mahayana, mana, mañana, marijuana, nirvana, Oriana, pacarana, piranha, prana, Purana, Rosh Hashana, Santayana, Setswana, sultana, Tatiana, Tijuana, Tirana, tramontana, Tswana, varna, Victoriana, zenana •Gardner • partner •antenna, Avicenna, duenna, henna, Jenna, Jenner, Morwenna, Ravenna, senna, Siena, sienna, tenner, tenor, Vienna •Edna • interregna • Etna • Pevsner