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Glite Dictionary
globe thistle

globe thistle

9.1
A plant with prickly leaves and round blue flower heads
  • noun
  • /ɡloʊb ˈθɪsəl/
translation icon : cardo globoso
  • The globe thistle blooms beautifully in the summer.

Examples

  • She planted several globe thistles along the fence for their ornamental value.

  • A single globe thistle added striking color to the garden in midsummer.

  • The bluish flower heads of the globe thistle attract many bees and butterflies.

  • I planted a globe thistle in my garden last spring.

  • The garden was beautiful, especially with the bright blue globe thistle blooming beside the path.

  • During the summer, the globe thistle attracts many bees with its round clusters of vibrant flowers.

  • I admire the globe thistle for its unique spherical flower heads and spiky leaves.

Synonyms

thistle
vsglobe thistle
15 5.6

A wild plant with prickly leaves and purple flowers

is narrower naming plants with spiny leaves and dense round bluish flower heads
Echinops
vsglobe thistle
  • Specialized
9.9

A plant with spiky leaves and round flower heads like a thistle

is the common name for those plants with dense bluish spherical flower heads

Surface Forms

globe thistle singular
globe thistles plural

Morphology

globe + thistle

The compound is transparently composed: 'globe' (spherical) + 'thistle' (a spiky plant) yields a thistle with spherical flower heads, which matches the provided definition. This noun–noun compositional pattern is regular and cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows both constituent words should be able to infer the MWE's meaning.

Etymology

Globe thistle gets its name from a simple picture. The word globe shows its round, bluish 'flower head' and thistle shows its sharp, 'prickly' leaves, so the name tells you it is a round, spiky plant.