buckthorn

American  

[buhk-thawrn] / ˈbʌkˌθɔrn /

noun

1. any of several, sometimes thorny trees or shrubs belonging to the genus Rhamnus, especially R. frangula, the bark of which is used in medicine.

2. a tree or shrub belonging to the genus Bumelia, of the sapodilla family, especially B. lycioides, a thorny tree having elliptic leaves and large clusters of white flowers, common in the southern and part of the central U.S.

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buckthorn British  

/ ˈbʌkˌθɔːn /

noun

1. any of several thorny small-flowered shrubs of the genus Rhamnus , esp the Eurasian species R. cathartica , whose berries were formerly used as a purgative: family Rhamnaceae See also sea buckthorn

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Etymology

Origin of buckthorn

1570–80; buck ¹ + thorn, rendering New Latin cervi spina

Example Sentences

Dessert revives malt bread as French toast alongside sea buckthorn and pumpkin held through autumn and sharpened into sorbet.

From Salon • Mar. 8, 2026

Ingredients for Snow Serum include vitamin B3, olive squalane, rice bran and rose flower water, while Sun Serum is made from vitamin C, gotu kola, sea buckthorn and neroli flower water.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 18, 2021

Similarly, species like buckthorn, he notes, are destructive, but don’t kill all the native plants where they take root.

From Washington Times • Sep. 7, 2020

A big mutton burger with fries cost 300 rupees, and a bottle of pleasingly sour sea buckthorn juice to wash it down with was 100.

From New York Times • Nov. 15, 2018

Zach has me pulling buckthorn shoots—they’re invasive in Vermont—so it’s easy for me to sneak over to my girl.

From "Wayward Creatures" by Dayna Lorentz