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n. An aromatic Maghrebi spice blend containing a great variety of ingredients, including dried rose petals and often cardamom or turmeric. [Arabic ra's al-ḥānūt, literally, head of the shop (because the blend contains the best that a spice shop has to offer) : ra's, head; see rʾš in the Appendix of Semitic roots + al-, the + ḥānūt, shop (from Aramaic ḥānūtā, arched chamber, cell, shop, from ḥənā, to bend; see x̣ny in the Appendix of Semitic roots).] |
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