afernan

noun

af·​er·​nan

ˈa-fər-ˌnan

plural -s

: a desert shrub (Euphorbia balsamifera) native to the Canary Islands that has leaves at the ends of the branches and inconspicuous yellow flowers

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Arabic (Hassānīya dialects of the western Sahara) ivrənān (Mauritania), aafarnaan (Mali), borrowed from Zenaga

First Known Use

1920, in the meaning defined above

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