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spiny

[ spahy-nee ]
/ ˈspaɪ ni /
|
SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR spiny ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective, spin·i·er, spin·i·est.

abounding in or having spines; thorny, as a plant.
covered with or having sharp-pointed processes, as an animal.
in the form of a spine; resembling a spine; spinelike.
troublesome or difficult to handle; thorny: a spiny problem.

RELATED WORDS

barbed, pointy, sharp, spiky, spinous, thorny

Nearby words

spinster, spinthariscope, spinto, spinule, spinulose, spiny, spiny anteater, spiny cocklebur, spiny dogfish, spiny dormouse, spiny lizard

Origin of spiny

First recorded in 1580–90; spine + -y1
Related formsspin·i·ness, nounnon·spin·y, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for spiny

British Dictionary definitions for spiny

spiny

/ (ˈspaɪnɪ) /

adjective spinier or spiniest

(of animals) having or covered with quills or spines
(of plants) covered with spines; thorny
troublesome to handle; puzzling
shaped like a spine
Derived Formsspininess, noun
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

Word Origin and History for spiny

spiny

adj.

1580s, from spine + -y (2).

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper