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.

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 called: Christ'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)!’”

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