star thistle

or star-thistle


noun
  1. any of several naturalized Eurasian plants of the genus Centaurea, especially C. calcitrapa, having purplish, spiny flower heads.

Origin of star thistle

1
First recorded in 1570–80

Words Nearby star thistle

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How to use star thistle in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for star thistle

star thistle

noun
  1. any of several plants of the genus Centaurea, esp C. calcitrapa, of Eurasia, which has spiny purplish flower heads: family Asteraceae (composites): See also centaury (def. 2)

Origin of star thistle

1
C16: so called because it has a thistle-shaped flower surrounded by radiating spines

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012