anil

an·il

A0308600 (ăn′ĭl)n. An indigo plant or the blue dye obtained from it.

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[French, from Portuguese, from Arabic an-nīl, the indigo plant : al-, the + Persian nīl (from Sanskrit nīlī, from nīla-, dark blue).]

anil

(ˈænɪl) n (Plants) a leguminous West Indian shrub, Indigofera suffruticosa: a source of indigo. Also called: indigo [C16: from Portuguese, from Arabic an-nīl, the indigo, from Sanskrit nīla dark blue]

an•il

(ˈæn l)

n. 1. a West Indian shrub, Indigoferasuffruticosa, of the legume family, having clusters of small, reddish yellow flowers and yielding indigo. 2. indigo; deep blue. [1575–85; < Portuguese < Arabic an-nīl=al the + nīl indigo < Skt nīlī indigo (nīl(a) dark blue + -ī feminine n. suffix)]

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	anil - a blue dye obtained from plants or made syntheticallyindigo, indigotindye, dyestuff - a usually soluble substance for staining or coloring e.g. fabrics or hair
	2.	anil - shrub of West Indies and South America that is a source of indigo dyeIndigofera anil, Indigofera suffruticosaindigo plant, Indigofera tinctoria, indigo - deciduous subshrub of southeastern Asia having pinnate leaves and clusters of red or purple flowers; a source of indigo dye