spinose

American  

[spahy-nohs, spahy-nohs] / ˈspaɪ noʊs, spaɪˈnoʊs /

adjective

1. full of spines; spiniferous; spinous.

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spinose British  

/ spaɪˈnɒsɪtɪ, spaɪˈnəʊs, ˈspaɪnəʊs /

adjective

1. (esp of plants) bearing many spines

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Other Word Forms

• nonspinose adjective
• nonspinosely adverb
• nonspinosity noun
• spinosely adverb
• spinosity noun
• subspinose adjective

Etymology

Origin of spinose

From the Latin word spīnōsus, dating back to 1650–60. See spine, -ose ¹

Example Sentences

Cryptic morphologies and elaborate spinose ornament have evolved in step with these predation pressures, the most extreme example being represented by the giant pholidomeleons.

From Scientific American • Apr. 1, 2013

Filamentary appendages, none: labrum, with the upper part highly bullate: trophi, various: olfactory orifices, more or less prominent: caudal appendages, uniarticulate and spinose, or none.

From A Monograph on the Sub-class Cirripedia With Figures of all the Species. by Darwin, Charles

The abdomen terminates, a little beyond the posterior end of the carapace, in a slightly upturned horny point; a short distance anteriorly to this point, a strong, spinose, forked projection depends from the abdominal surface.

From A Monograph on the Sub-class Cirripedia With Figures of all the Species. by Darwin, Charles

Thorax: fulvo-hyaline, with a dark fuscous border at the apex; the knees, tibiæ and tarsi reddish-yellow; the two latter spinose.

From Journal of the Proceedings of the Linnean Society - Vol. 3 Zoology by Various

Leaflets.—Seven to nine; glossy; ovate to oblong-lanceolate; one and one half to four inches long; acuminate; sinuately dentate, with numerous spinose teeth; the lowest pair distant from the stem.

From The Wild Flowers of California: Their Names, Haunts, and Habits by Parsons, Mary Elizabeth