Meaning & use
thorns
Last updated
Sharp, pointed woody outgrowths on the stems of certain plants, used for protection.
See it in a sentence
She pricked her finger on the thorns while pruning the rose bush.
The hedge of thorns kept intruders from cutting through the garden.
A note on using this word
Botanically, true thorns are modified stems, distinct from "prickles" (outgrowths of the skin, as on roses) and "spines" (modified leaves), though the words are often used interchangeably in everyday speech.
Words with a similar meaning
spinesprickles
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