gorse

[gawrs]

noun

1. any spiny shrub of the genus Ulex, of the legume family, native to the Old World, especially U. europaeus, having rudimentary leaves and yellow flowers and growing in waste places and sandy soil.

gorse

/ ɡɔːs /

noun

1. Also called: furze.  whin. any evergreen shrub of the leguminous genus Ulex, esp the European species U. europeaus, which has yellow flowers and thick green spines instead of leaves

Other Word Forms

• gorsy adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of gorse¹

before 900; Middle English gorst, Old English; akin to German Gerste, Latin hordeum barley

Word History and Origins

Origin of gorse¹

Old English gors; related to Old Irish garb rough, Latin horrēre to bristle, Old High German gersta barley, Greek khēr hedgehog

Example Sentences

Crews were called to tackle a large gorse blaze on the Edinburgh landmark on Sunday, which the fire service believe was caused by human activity.

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The hill also caught fire in February 2019, with dozens of firefighters working through the night to extinguish a large gorse blaze.

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These cliffs hide the strip of gorse scrubland which runs east to the larger resort of Lagos, and are dotted with derelict, abandoned agricultural buildings and houses, marked with missing roofs and chipped plaster.

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The wild, flat landscapes dotted with gorse and heather are known for their wildlife, including rare species like the sand lizard, woodlark and silver-studded blue butterfly.

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"When the mountains are plastered in gorse you have cases like California with people going for a picnic and chucking glass and then you've got a problem," she said.

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Related Words

• scrub 
• thicket