thorn

/ˈthȯrn/

Middle English, from Old English; akin to Old High German dorn thorn, Sanskrit tṛṇa grass, blade of grass

noun

  1. a sharp rigid process on a plant; especially : one that is a short, indurated, sharp-pointed, and leafless modified stem

  2. any of various sharp spinose structures on an animal

  3. a woody plant bearing sharp impeding processes (such as prickles or spines); especially : hawthorn

noun

  1. jimsonweed; also : any plant of the same genus

  2. the fruit of a hawthorn; also : hawthorn

noun

  1. any of several prickly or thorny shrubs (such as the shrub Paliurus spina-christi or the jujube Ziziphus spina-christi)