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Glite Dictionary
✝️ Mock crown for Jesus 🌵 A spiny plant 😣 A painful burden
crown of thorns

crown of thorns

8.8
A spiny plant with long stems and bright red flowers
  • noun
  • /kraʊn əv θɔrnz/
translation icon : corona de espinas
  • She pricked her finger on the spiny stem of the crown of thorns while moving the plant.

Examples

  • The crown of thorns is popular as a houseplant because of its colorful bracts and resilience.

  • Gardeners often choose crown of thorns for its drought tolerance and striking appearance.

  • The crown of thorns is a unique plant.

  • Many people admire the crown of thorns for its vivid flowers.

  • Gardeners often choose crown of thorns for its drought tolerance and striking appearance.

  • The crown of thorns is popular as a houseplant because of its colorful bracts and resilience.

  • Many people admire the crown of thorns for its vivid flowers.

Synonyms

Euphorbia milii
vscrown of thorns
  • Specialized
9.9

A spiny bush from Madagascar with woody stems and bright red flowers used as a decorative plant

is the common descriptive name rather than the scientific term
Christ thorn
vscrown of thorns
9.9

A spiny shrub from Madagascar grown as a houseplant with small flowers and bright red petals

is the botanical descriptive name used without the religious sense
Christ plant
vscrown of thorns
9.8

A spiny shrub from Madagascar with long stems and red flower-like parts often grown in gardens

focuses on the plant identity rather than ornamental use

Surface Forms

crown of thorns singular
crowns of thorns plural

Morphology

crown + of + thorn

The phrase is directly compositional: 'crown' + 'of' + 'thorns' straightforwardly denotes a crown made from thorns, so a B1 learner who knows the constituent words can infer the literal object. While the deeper Christian/religious significance (mockery/torture of Jesus) requires background knowledge, the basic referent is transparent from the parts.

Etymology

Crown of thorns comes from a spiky plant whose long, thorny stems and bright flowers can look like a small crown made of thorns, so gardeners call the plant a crown of thorns.