Skip to main content
thorn-tipped

thorn-tipped

6.8
A plant or plant part with a sharp thorn at the tip
  • adjective
  • Specialized
translation icon : con espinas
  • The thorn-tipped leaves of this bush can easily scratch your skin.

Examples

  • The thorn-tipped branches of the rose bush can be quite dangerous.

  • The botanist described the new species as having thorn-tipped branches.

  • Many desert plants are thorn-tipped to protect themselves from herbivores.

  • I noticed a thorn-tipped plant growing in my garden.

  • The thorn-tipped leaves of this bush can easily scratch your skin.

  • Many desert plants are thorn-tipped to protect themselves from herbivores.

  • I noticed a thorn-tipped plant growing in my garden.

Synonyms

armed
vsthorn-tipped
  • Specialized
14 7.9

Having sharp points that protect it

is specific to tips rather than any defensive feature on plant
prickly
vsthorn-tipped
14 3.3

Covered with sharp points like thorns that can hurt to touch

highlights tips specifically rather than general surface points
thorny
vsthorn-tipped
6 4.2

Covered with sharp points like those on rose bushes

refers to tips that end in a single hard plant projection
spine-tipped
vsthorn-tipped
8.0

A leaf or stem that has a sharp, stiff point at the tip

focuses on tips that are specific hard plant defensive projections
thorned
vsthorn-tipped
4.2

Having sharp, pointed parts that can prick the skin

focuses on tips rather than general presence of projections
bristle-pointed
vsthorn-tipped
7.0

With a small sharp tip like a stiff hair

refers to tips that are rigid plant defensive projections not hairlike
quilled
vsthorn-tipped
6.8

Covered with stiff, sharp spines like a porcupine

means a single tip projection rather than many covering spines
spiny-stemmed
vsthorn-tipped
6.5

A plant with a stem covered in sharp spines or thorns

focuses on tips instead of stem coverage by projections
prickly-leaved
vsthorn-tipped
7.7

Having leaves covered in sharp points that can hurt

refers to single tip endings rather than leaf surface points
prickly-leafed
vsthorn-tipped
7.8

Having leaves with sharp points that can scratch skin

highlights a pointed tip rather than widespread leaf prickliness
burrlike
vsthorn-tipped
9.1

Having many small hooks or bristles that stick to clothes

focuses on a single sharp tip instead of general hooked covering

How Pointed

thorn-tipped
  • Specialized
6.8
pointed
1 1.8
thorny
6 4.2
blunt
109 1.0

Surface Forms

thorn-tipped positive

Morphology

thorn-tipped = thorn + tip (transparent) = thorn + tip + ed

Formed from the clear compound components 'thorn' + 'tip' with the adjectival '-ed' meaning 'having a tip that is a thorn', which is directly inferable.

Etymology

Thorn-tipped comes from the common words thorn ('sharp point') and tipped ('having a tip'). So, thorn-tipped describes a plant part that ends in a thorn, often to protect the plant.