from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Hemp \Hemp\ (h[e^]mp), n. [OE. hemp, AS. henep, h[ae]nep; akin
to D. hennep, OHG. hanaf, G. hanf, Icel. hampr, Dan. hamp,
Sw. hampa, L. cannabis, cannabum, Gr. ka`nnabis, ka`nnabos;
cf. Russ. konoplia, Skr. [,c]a[.n]a; all prob. borrowed from
some other language at an early time. Cf. {Cannabine},
{Canvas}.]
1. (Bot.) A plant of the genus {Cannabis} ({Cannabis
sativa}), the fibrous skin or bark of which is used for
making cloth and cordage. The name is also applied to
various other plants yielding fiber.
[1913 Webster]
2. The fiber of the skin or rind of the plant, prepared for
spinning. The name has also been extended to various
fibers resembling the true hemp.
[1913 Webster]
{African hemp}, {Bowstring hemp}. See under {African}, and
{Bowstring}.
{Bastard hemp}, the Asiatic herb {Datisca cannabina}.
{Canada hemp}, a species of dogbane ({Apocynum cannabinum}),
the fiber of which was used by the Indians.
{Hemp agrimony}, a coarse, composite herb of Europe
({Eupatorium cannabinum}), much like the American boneset.
{Hemp nettle}, a plant of the genus {Galeopsis} ({Galeopsis
Tetrahit}), belonging to the Mint family.
{Indian hemp}. See under {Indian}, a.
{Manila hemp}, the fiber of {Musa textilis}.
{Sisal hemp}, the fiber of {Agave sisalana}, of Mexico and
Yucatan.
{Sunn hemp}, a fiber obtained from a leguminous plant
({Crotalaria juncea}).
{Water hemp}, an annual American weed ({Acnida cannabina}),
related to the amaranth.
[1913 Webster]