gorse

American  

[gawrs] / gɔrs /

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.

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gorse British  

/ 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

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Other Word Forms

• gorsy
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of gorse

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

Example Sentences

The birds thrive in lowland heath habitats, nesting in the dense gorse, where they also hunt for spiders and caterpillars.

From BBC • May 29, 2026

In April 2010 major damage was caused to woodland outside Annalong during a deliberate gorse fire.

From BBC • May 2, 2026

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.

From BBC • Aug. 12, 2025

"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.

From BBC • Apr. 11, 2025

Wandering on, they climbed a hill and came to Newtown Common—a country of peat, gorse and silver birch.

From "Watership Down: A Novel" by Richard Adams

Related Words

• scrub
• thicket