Hennaed

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. A natural dye, derived from a particular plant, is used for skin decoration through intricate patterns
2. The application of a plant-based colorant results in temporary body art that enhances one's appearance
3. A temporary form of body art is created using a colorant derived from a specific plant that stains the skin with intricate designs

Etymology: "Hennaed" is simply "henna" with the suffix "-ed" added, turning the plant-derived dye into a description of skin or hair that has been stained with it. Henna itself comes from Arabic "ḥinnāʾ", the name of the shrub Lawsonia inermis, whose crushed leaves yield a reddish-orange pigment. English borrowed the plant's name, and the dye, from that Arabic source. The "-ed" ending is the ordinary English suffix that marks a state or condition produced by something, as in "tanned" or "bearded." Speakers attached it to "henna" to describe hands, palms or hair that had received the dye. Because the suffix is so flexible, the same form can read as a past tense, a participle or an adjective, and here it works as the last of these, describing the decorated skin itself.

Synonyms: dyed, tinted

Antonyms: natural