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Glite Dictionary
🌵 Full of thorns 🧩 Complicated problem 😠 Harsh manner
thorniness

thorniness

7.6
Covered with sharp thorns that can scratch the skin
  • noun
  • /ˈθɔrnɪnəs/
translation icon : espinosidad
  • These toxic chemicals are used along with other physical factors, such as hairiness and thorniness, to reduce herbivore attack.

Examples

  • The thorniness of the cactus provides protection against animals that might want to eat it.

  • The thorniness of the rose bush makes it difficult to handle carefully.

  • Gardeners often take into account the thorniness of plants when designing a safe landscape.

Synonyms

prickliness
vsthorniness
1 6.7

Being covered in many small sharp points, like a cactus or rose bush

is about very sharp thorns or spines that can cut skin
spininess
vsthorniness
8.6

A state of being covered with many sharp thorns

is about sharp thorns or spines that cause cutting pain
bristliness
vsthorniness
7.7

The state of being covered with short, stiff hairs or spines

is about larger, sharp thorns or spines rather than hairlike covering

Antonyms

smoothness
1 2.6

How something works without pauses or problems

How Thorny

spikiness
4.6
thorniness
7.6
prickliness
1 6.7

Surface Forms

thorniness singular
thorninesses plural

Morphology

thorniness = thorny (transparent) = thorn + y + ness

The noun is formed by adding the productive noun-forming suffix '-ness' to the adjective 'thorny', which is itself clearly related to 'thorn'.

Etymology

Thorniness comes from the simple word thorn ('sharp point') plus the ending -ness ('the quality of'). So it literally means the quality of being full of sharp thorns or spines, which is why it describes plants that can prick or scratch you.