spininess
8.6
A state of being covered with many sharp thorns
- noun
- /ˈspɪnɪnəs/
:
espinosidad
- The spininess of the cactus makes it a deterrent for any would-be intruders.
Examples
-
Be careful when handling that plant; its spininess can cause painful scratches.
-
The spininess of the sea urchin protects it from predators in its natural habitat.
-
Some species, for example, can be told apart by the size, shape, and degree of spininess of the male's penis.
Academic text (1995)
Synonyms
prickliness
vsspininess
1
6.7
Being covered in many small sharp points, like a cactus or rose bush
is about the actual presence of many sharp projections rather than only sensation
thorniness
vsspininess
7.6
Covered with sharp thorns that can scratch the skin
is less sharply piercing and suggests milder small sharp points
Antonyms
How Spiny
spininess
8.6
prickliness
1
6.7
1
6.7
Surface Forms
spininess singular
spininesses plural
Morphology
Etymology
Spininess comes from spine, which comes from the Latin spina meaning 'thorn' or 'spike'. So spininess is the quality of having many sharp 'thorns' or 'spikes', like a hedgehog or a cactus that use them for protection.