棘 — meaning in English

English meaning

• quill noun The hollow central shaft of a bird's feather.
• thorn noun A sharp, hard, pointed growth on a plant stem or branch.

Senses

棘 is used for these senses in English:

• quill A sharply pointed, barbed, and easily detached needle-like structure that grows on the skin of a porcupine or hedgehog as a defense against predators. [from early 17th c.]
• thorn (botany) A modified branch that is hard and sharp like a spike.

quill — full definition

1. noun The hollow central shaft of a bird's feather.
2. noun A pen made from a large feather, historically used for writing.
3. noun One of the sharp, barbed spines on a porcupine or hedgehog.

thorn — full definition

1. noun A sharp, hard, pointed growth on a plant stem or branch.
2. noun A shrub or small tree known for bearing thorns, especially the hawthorn.
3. noun Something or someone that repeatedly causes irritation or trouble.
4. noun An old English letter (Þ, þ) once used to represent the "th" sound, still used in Icelandic today.
5. verb To pierce or prick with something sharp, as if with a thorn.

Related Japanese words