spiny

American  

[spahy-nee] / ˈspaɪ ni /

adjective

spinier, spiniest

1. abounding in or having spines; thorny, as a plant.

2. covered with or having sharp-pointed processes, as an animal.

3. in the form of a spine; resembling a spine; spinelike.

4. troublesome or difficult to handle; thorny.

   a spiny problem.

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spiny British  

/ ˈspaɪnɪ /

adjective

1. (of animals) having or covered with quills or spines

2. (of plants) covered with spines; thorny

3. troublesome to handle; puzzling

4. shaped like a spine

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Other Word Forms

• spininess
  noun
• nonspiny
  adjective

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Etymology

Origin of spiny

First recorded in 1580–90; spine + -y ¹

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Explanation

Spiny things are prickly or barbed, like a porcupine or a cactus. You have to be careful when you pick up something spiny. There are many spiny plants and animals, including roses, fish with spiny fins, sea urchins, and hedgehogs. They're all spiny for the same reason—as a defense against predators. The barbs or thorns themselves are called spines, from the Latin spina, meaning "backbone" and also "thorn or prickle." You can also use spiny figuratively to describe something difficult to deal with: "It was a spiny problem indeed."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

spiny spinier

Studland Bay has been a designated a Marine Conservation Zone since 2019 and is home to one of the UK's largest seagrass meadows, supporting species such as the protected spiny seahorse and short-snouted seahorse.

From BBC ● Sep. 26, 2026

Acanthosaura syrax belongs to a group of agamid lizards known as mountain horned dragons, which are distinguished by the spiny crests that extend along the neck and back.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 24, 2026

A clawed caper at the Santa Monica Pier went awry despite “sophisticated” attempts by suspects to get away with poaching roughly three dozen spiny lobsters, authorities said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 14, 2026

In recent years, Lentali has congratulated Musk on company news, and even invited him to the French island to eat “local fish and spiny lobster.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 16, 2026

Nothing green except the cactus and spiny plants.

From "The Voyage Of The Frog" by Gary Paulsen

But her spinier attributes emerge when her beauty idyll is crashed by a rowdy extended family of holidaymakers with various squealing children in tow.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 16, 2021

Martin imagined when writing his "Song of Ice and Fire" books; that one is bigger and spinier.

From Salon ● Oct. 6, 2021

He’s surrounded by spinier, more surprising arrangements, too.

From The Verge ● Sep. 11, 2015

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