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spiky

spiky

16 3.3
Having sharp points like a cactus, or a high, harsh sound and look
  • adjective
  • /ˈspaɪki/
translation icon : puntiagudo
  • His face was still gray; his spiky blond hair gave him an unearthly look.
  • spiky hair

He has lizard scales and spiky eyebrows, so there's that.

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Examples

  • Highway 5 seemed to stretch on forever, past fields of spiky artichoke plants and a grove of windmills.

    Fiction book (1995)
  • The gold ball of the sun was clearing the spiky fir trees visible against the light blue sky.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • This is like a very spiky brush.

  • And he's got punky, spiky hair.

  • They're so spiky and unfriendly.

  • His hair was brown and cropped close, rather spiky and uncontrolled.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • The artist used bright colors and spiky shapes in the painting to create an energetic feeling.

  • Her spiky voice cut through the noise of the crowd during the heated debate.

  • He admired the spiky leaves of the plant, which added a unique texture to his garden.

Synonyms

pointy
vsspiky
71 1.0

A thing with a sharp tip

is broader and also describes high pitched or sharply accentuated style
sharp
vsspiky
18 3.2

A high piercing sound that hurts the ears

can also describe objects with pointed edges and sharply accentuated style
peaky
vsspiky
  • Specialized
7.9

A sound or picture with sharp peaks at high tones

is less technical and applies to pointed shape or high pitched qualities

Antonyms

256 1.0

A surface that is even and not rough

182 1.0

Gentle and not strong for light or sound

Compounds

A shoe with small pointed studs for better grip or style

How Spiky

barbed
6 4.4
razor-sharp
8 4.1
spiky
16 3.3
sharp
301 1.0
pointed
1 1.8
smooth
256 1.0

Surface Forms

spiky positive

Morphology

spiky = spike (transparent) = spike + y

The adjective 'spiky' is transparently derived from 'spike' with the addition of the suffix '-y', indicating the presence of spikes.

Etymology

The word spiky comes from the common word spike ('a sharp point') and the ending -y ('full of'). So something spiky has sharp points, and by extension a 'spiky' sound or style feels sharp or harsh.