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fu·sain

(fyzān, fy-zān)

a. Fine charcoal in stick form, made from the wood of the spindle tree.

b. A sketch or drawing made with this charcoal.

2. A black, friable band in bituminous coal, characterized by a fibrous structure and silky luster.

[French, spindle tree, charcoal made from its wood, from Vulgar Latin *fūsāgō, *fūsāgin-, spindle (formerly made from the wood of a spindle tree), from Latin fūsus.]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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