any of various prickly, composite plants having showy, purple flower heads, especially of the genera Cirsium, Carduus, or Onopordum.
any of various other prickly plants.
(sometimes not capital)
the emblem of this Order
membership of this Order
any of numerous plants of the genera Cirsium, Carduus , and related genera, having prickly-edged leaves, pink, purple, yellow, or white dense flower heads, and feathery hairs on the seeds: family Asteraceae (composites)
a thistle, or a representation of one, as the national emblem of Scotland
before 900; Middle English thistel, Old English; cognate with Dutch distel, German Distel, Old Norse thistill
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Ray's son Alex is already following his father as a fan of Thistle and the national team - and in knowing how to sign.
From BBC • Apr. 9, 2026
He has also been able to indulge his passion for football, working with the Scotland national team and his beloved Patrick Thistle.
From BBC • Apr. 9, 2026
Sammy Johnston:, external Played more than 200 times for St Johnstone and also featured for clubs such as Partick Thistle and Glenavon.
From BBC • Dec. 18, 2025
The protest in London on Saturday was held outside of the Thistle City Barbican Hotel in Islington, with a counter-protest led by the group Stand Up To Racism.
From BBC • Aug. 2, 2025
He had been about to pursue them but had returned in response to the order brought by Thistle.
From "Watership Down: A Novel" by Richard Adams
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
