crown of thorns

noun

1. a succulent flowering plant, Euphorbia milii, of the spurge family, with densely spiny stems that climb and scramble over other vegetation: native to Madagascar, the species and its numerous varieties are widely cultivated for gardens and as houseplants.
2. crown-of-thorns starfish ( def ).
3. a painful burden, as of suffering, guilt, anxiety, etc.: from the wreath of thorns placed on Jesus' head in the Bible.

crown-of-thorns

noun

1. a starfish, Acanthaster planci, that has a spiny test and feeds on living coral in coral reefs
2. Also calledChrist's thorn a thorny euphorbiaceous Madagascan shrub, Euphorbia milii var. splendens, cultivated as a hedging shrub or pot plant, having flowers with scarlet bracts

crown of thorns

1. A mock crown, made from thorn branches, that Roman soldiers put on the head of Jesus before the Crucifixion . The soldiers also “bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, ‘Hail, King of the Jews (see also Jews )!’”

Notes

In common usage, a “crown of thorns” may be anything that causes intense suffering: “The jailed political leader bears her afflictions like a crown of thorns.” Similar to the expression “cross to bear.” ( See Crucifixion .)

Word History and Origins

Origin of crown of thorns¹

First recorded before 950; Middle English; Old English