noun
thistle
thihsl
noun
1
A prickly plant with sharp-edged leaves and a spiky flower head, often purple.
"He pricked his finger picking through the thistles in the field."
2
The thistle plant as the national emblem of Scotland.
"The thistle appears on many pieces of Scottish regalia."
How to Use Thistle
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA spiky-leaved, usually purple-flowered weed — also famous as Scotland's national symbol.
Common pairings
prickly thistle
Scottish thistle
Word Forms
thistles plural, Thistles plural
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Etymology
From Old English þistel, an old Germanic word for this prickly plant.