thorn

CEFRB2

/θɔːn/

noun

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    noun

    A sharp point on a plant or object.

  2. 02

    noun

    Extra detail

    Any shrub or small tree that bears thorns, especially a hawthorn.

Examples

  • Just as a thorn stuck in one's throat.

  • Like a thorn stuck in your throat.

At a glance

Sits at B2 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
1
Citations
5

Also pronounced

  • /θoɹn/

Deep Dive

noun

Extra meanings

  1. Any thorn-like structure on plants, such as the spine and the prickle.

  2. A modified branch that is hard and sharp like a spike.

  3. That which pricks or annoys; anything troublesome.

More examples

In context

  • Every rose has its thorn.

  • See also Etymology of ye (definite article).

  • the cockspur thorn

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

I accidentally touched the rosebush and a sharp blank stuck into my finger.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

noun

From Middle English thorn, þorn, from Old English þorn, from Proto-West Germanic *þorn, from Proto-Germanic *þurnaz, from Proto-Indo-European *tr̥nós, from *(s)ter- (“stiff”). Cognates Near cognates include West Frisian toarn, Low German Doorn, Dutch doorn, German Dorn, Danish and Norwegian torn, Swedish torn, törne, Gothic 𐌸𐌰𐌿𐍂𐌽𐌿𐍃 (þaurnus). Further cognates include Old Church Slavonic трънъ (trŭnŭ, “thorn”), Russian тёрн (tjorn), Polish cierń, Kamkata-viri taňi, tai (“thorn”), Sanskrit तृण (tṛ́ṇa, “grass”).