spinescent

[ spahy-nes-uh nt ]
/ spaɪˈnɛs ənt /

adjective

Botany.
  1. becoming spinelike.
  2. ending in a spine.
  3. bearing spines.
Zoology. somewhat spinelike; coarse, as hair.

QUIZZES

TAKE ROUND 2 OF OUR PSAT VOCABULARY QUIZ!

Here is our second set of teacher-selected PSAT vocabulary words. Do you know the meanings of these terms?
Question 1 of 10
advocate
to give up possession or occupancy of.
to speak or write in favor of; support or urge by argument; recommend publicly.
to pronounce or decree by judicial sentence.
TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of spinescent

First recorded in 1785–95, spinescent is from the Late Latin word spīnēscent- (stem of spīnēscēns, present participle of spīnēscere to grow thorny). See spine, -escent

OTHER WORDS FROM spinescent

spi·nes·cence, noun

Words nearby spinescent

spine-tingling, spinebash, spinel, spinel ruby, spineless, spinescent, spinet, spingarn, spiniferous, spinifex, spinmeister
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for spinescent

British Dictionary definitions for spinescent

spinescent
/ (spaɪˈnɛsənt) /

adjective biology

having or resembling a spine or spines
becoming spiny

Derived forms of spinescent

spinescence, noun

Word Origin for spinescent

C18: from Late Latin spīnēscere to become thorny, from Latin spīna a thorn
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012