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Glite Dictionary
devil's walking stick

devil's walking stick

9.9
A small tree or bush with spiny stems and large leaves
  • noun
  • /ˈdɛvəlz ˈwɔkɪŋ stɪk/
  • US
translation icon : palo del diablo
  • Lapalapa is related to devil's walking-stick, a small tree found in the eastern United States.

Examples

  • We got ocotillo, devil's walking stick—what's this stuff? It's that what-you-call-it—

    Fiction book (1996)

  • The devil's walking stick is known for its impressive compound leaves that can grow quite large.

  • In the garden, we planted a devil's walking stick, admired for its tall stature and spiny branches.

  • During our hike, we spotted a devil's walking stick, a unique tree that adds character to the landscape.

Synonyms

Aralia spinosa
vsdevil's walking stick
  • Specialized
9.9

A small tree or bush in the eastern United States with large leaves and sharp thorns on its stems

uses the everyday common name rather than the formal scientific label

Surface Forms

devil's walking stick singular
devil's walking sticks plural

Morphology

devil's + walking + stick

The components 'walking stick' normally denote a cane or stick and 'devil's' adds a metaphorical sense of danger or ominousness, so learners can imagine a spiny or threatening stick-like object. However the fact that the expression names a specific shrub species (not an actual cane) is not directly derivable from the parts, so the relation is only partially predictable.

Etymology

The name devil's walking stick comes from the plant's straight stem covered in sharp spines, so people thought it looked like a dangerous cane a devil might carry as a walking stick. That's why the name now refers to a small tree with thorny stems.