thistle

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   any of numerous plants of the family Compositae and especially of the genera Carduus and Cirsium and Onopordum having prickly-edged leaves

   I lost my ball in the thistle.

2. 2
   noun

   Any of several perennial composite plants, especially of genera Cirsium, Carduus, Cynara, or Onopordum, having prickly leaves and showy flower heads with prickly bracts.

   Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field [...].

3. 3
   noun

   The Order of the Thistle, or membership thereof.

   Here's a passage which will please you: ‘It is said that when rich he twice refused the thistle.’.

4. 4
   noun

   This plant seen as the national emblem of Scotland.

From Middle English thistel, from Old English þistel, from Proto-West Germanic *þistil, from Proto-Germanic *þistilaz. *þīh- from *teyg-, which is a variant of Proto-Indo-European *(s)teyg- (“to prick”); from this same Proto-Indo-European root comes English stick. Cognates include Scots thrissel, German Distel, Dutch distel, and Old Norse and Icelandic þistill.

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