The word "Hemp Plant" is spelled with an "h" sound at the beginning, followed by the short "e" sound in "hɛmp". The "p" is pronounced with a puff of air - hence the phonetic transcription "hɛmp plănt" - and the final "t" sound is pronounced fully. Hemp plants are an important crop for a variety of industries, including textiles, paper, and even health supplements. Accurate spelling of this term is important for those in these industries and beyond.
The word "hemp" originated from the Old English word "hænep", which can be traced back to the Germanic root "hanapiz" or "hanaf" meaning "hemp". This Germanic root has cognates in other Germanic languages, such as Old High German "hanaf" and Old Norse "hömp". Ultimately, the word can be traced back to the Proto-Indo-European root "*kanap-", which referred to hemp or canvas. The term "hemp plant" implies a redundant expression since "hemp" itself already indicates the specific plant species (Cannabis sativa) cultivated for fiber, oil, and various other uses throughout history.