Spanish needles


noun
  1. (used with a singular or plural verb) a composite plant, Bidens bipinnata, having achenes with downwardly barbed awns.

  2. (used with a plural verb) the achenes themselves.

Origin of Spanish needles

1
An Americanism dating back to 1735–45; in allusion to its tropical American origin

Words Nearby Spanish needles

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024