anil
UK[ˈænɪl]US[ˈænɪl]
n
A leguminous shrub (Indigofera suffruticosa) of tropical and subtropical America, which is a source of indigo dye.
n
The blue dye obtained from this plant; indigo.
Etymology
The word 'anil' is a direct linguistic import, tracing a global trade route from ancient India to the modern English lexicon. Its ultimate source is the Sanskrit 'nīlī', meaning "indigo plant", which passed into Arabic as 'al-nīl'. Portuguese and French traders adopted the term during the age of exploration and colonial commerce in dyes. English borrowed it in the 16th century, preserving the original reference to the indigo-yielding plant and its product, reflecting the word's journey as a label for a valuable commodity.
Analysis
The word is a simplex loanword. It originates from the Portuguese or French 'anil', which came from the Arabic النيل (al-nīl, "the indigo"), itself derived from Sanskrit नीली (nīlī, "indigo plant").
Examples
The deep blue color was traditionally derived from the anil plant.
Farmers cultivated fields of anil for the dye trade.
The chemical aniline, used in synthetic dyes, was first derived from anil.