thorny

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See also: Þorný

English

Etymology

From Middle English thorny, þorny, þorni, from Old English þorniġ, from Proto-West Germanic *þornag. Equivalent to thorn +‎ -y.

Pronunciation

Adjective

thorny (comparative thornier, superlative thorniest)

  1. Having thorns or spines
    Synonyms: prickly, spiny
  2. (figuratively) Troublesome or vexatious
    • c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies  (First Folio), London: Isaac Iaggard, and Ed Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, :
      the steep and thorny way to heaven
    • 2021 October 10, Caroline Anders, “A TikTok bone salesman’s wall of spines reignites ethical debate over selling human remains”, in The Washington Post‎:
      Museums have recently begun to confront the same thorny question, with several issuing public apologies for collecting the remains of people believed or known to have been enslaved.
  3. Aloof and irritable
    • 1868, Louisa May Alcott, Good Wives:
      Come, Jo, don't be thorny. After studying himself to a skeleton all the week, a fellow deserves petting, and ought to get it.

Derived terms

Translations

Anagrams

Middle English

Etymology 1

From Old English þorniġ, from Proto-West Germanic *þornag. Equivalent to thorn +‎ -y.

Alternative forms

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈθɔrniː/, /ˈθoːrniː/

Adjective

thorny

  1. Having many thorns or spines; thorny.
  2. (rare) Covered in thorny plants.
  3. (rare) Having a shape like a thorn.
Descendants
  • English: thorny
  • Scots: thorny
References

Etymology 2

Verb

thorny

  1. Alternative form of thornen
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