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Glite Dictionary
holy thistle

holy thistle

1 9.9
A tall plant with spiky leaves, white marks, and purple flower heads used in herbal medicine
  • noun
translation icon : cardo santo
  • The holy thistle is known for its medicinal properties.

Examples

  • Many herbalists recommend holy thistle for liver health.

  • The fields were scattered with the spiky leaves of holy thistle.

  • Holy thistle has been used in traditional remedies for centuries.

  • Many people plant holy thistle in their gardens for its striking appearance.

  • The herbalist recommended using holy thistle for its beneficial properties.

  • We saw several plants of holy thistle growing in the garden, their purple flowers attracting bees.

  • In traditional medicine, holy thistle is often used to support liver health.

Synonyms

milk thistle
vsholy thistle
1 5.0

A tall prickly plant with purple flowers and white spots on leaves used in herbal medicine to help the liver

focuses on botanical identity and native distribution instead of medicinal use
Silybum marianum
vsholy thistle
  • Specialized
9.9

A tall thistle from the Mediterranean that has purple flower heads, leaves with white marks, and is called milk thistle

is broader, naming the species across Europe and Asia rather than only Mediterranean
Our Lady's mild thistle
vsholy thistle
9.9

A tall plant with large green leaves with white patches and purple flowers

refers to the same plant but states native range more generally
lady's thistle
vsholy thistle
9.9

A tall prickly plant with purple flowers and large leaves with white veins

adds a wider native range across Europe and Asia rather than regional notes

Surface Forms

holy thistle singular
holy thistles plural

Morphology

holy + thistle

A B1 learner who knows 'holy' (sacred) and 'thistle' (a spiky plant) can readily infer that 'holy thistle' refers to a thistle regarded as sacred or associated with religious/medicinal use. This is a straightforward adjective + noun naming pattern common cross-linguistically, so the meaning is compositional and predictable from the parts.

Etymology

Holy thistle gets its name from a folk story about the Virgin Mary. People thought the white marks on the spiky leaves were drops of her milk, so they called the plant holy and a thistle, and that is why it was often used as a 'medicine'.