thistle
noun
any of various prickly, composite plants having showy, purple flower heads, especially of the genera Cirsium, Carduus, or Onopordum.
thistles
-
pluralof thistle.plural
The grammatical form denoting more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"The only things that started growing were docks and thistles," said Pawsey, whose entire quinoa crop failed.
From Barron's ● Aug. 25, 2026
Push brooms wiped off months of dust and dirt from headstones, while weed wackers and lawn mowers contended with dandelions, thistles and crabgrass.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2023
Made of cloth of gold, it is embellished with motifs including fleur-de-lis, as well as imperial eagles, and national floral emblems of red-pink roses, blue thistles and green shamrocks.
From BBC ● May 1, 2023
Most thistles are weeds that are extremely prickly but have beautiful flowers.
From Seattle Times ● Mar. 22, 2023
Now the great ships turned as lightly as moon thistles.
From "The Martian Chronicles" by Ray Bradbury
