ETYM French anil, Spanish anîl, or Portu. anil; all from Arabic an-nîl, for al-nîl the indigo plant, from Skr. nîla dark blue, nîlî indigo, indigo plant. Related to Lilac.
1. A blue dye obtained from plants or made synthetically; SYN. indigo, indigotin.
2. Shrub of West Indies and South America that is a source of indigo dye; SYN. Indigofera suffruticosa, Indigofera anil.
3. W Indian plant yielding indigo; indigo.

ETYM Latin anilis, from anus an old woman.
Of or like a feeble old woman.
Imbecilic; senile; like a very old woman.
Like a very old woman; imbecile.

Aniline.

Poisonous substance obtained from indigo, nitro-benzene, etc., used in manufacture of dyes
C6H5NH2 or phenylamine one of the simplest aromatic chemicals (a substance related to benzene, with its carbon atoms joined in a ring). When pure, it is a colorless oily liquid; it has a characteristic odor, and turns brown on contact with air. It occurs in coal tar, and is used in the rubber industry and to make drugs and dyes. It is highly poisonous.
Aniline was discovered in 1826, and was originally prepared by the dry distillation of indigo, hence its name.
Oily poisonous liquid amine obtained from nitrobenzene and used to make dyes and plastics and medicines; SYN. aniline oil, aminobenzine, phenylamine.