adjective
spiny
SPEYE-nee
Spiny (adjective) means Covered with spines or sharp points. Example: “The spiny cactus is a common sight in the desert.”
adjective
1
Covered with spines or sharp points.
"The spiny cactus is a common sight in the desert."
2
Difficult, tricky, or full of complications.
"They faced a spiny legal question over the property boundary."
How to use spiny
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishFull of thorny points, or figuratively, a tricky problem.
Common pairings
spiny cactus
a spiny issue
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Word forms
- Comparative
- spinier
- Superlative
- spiniest
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The _____ cactus is a common sight in the desert.
Etymology
Formed from spine and the suffix -y.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for spiny
See all rhymes for spiny →Frequently asked questions
What does “spiny” mean?
The word “spiny” means covered with spines or sharp points. In plain terms, full of thorny points, or figuratively, a tricky problem.
How do you pronounce “spiny”?
“Spiny” is pronounced SPEYE-nee (/ˈspaɪni/ in IPA).
How do you use “spiny” in a sentence?
Here is “spiny” used in a sentence: “The spiny cactus is a common sight in the desert.”
What part of speech is “spiny”?
“Spiny” is an adjective.
How many meanings does “spiny” have?
“Spiny” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: covered with spines or sharp points.
