a sharp excrescence on a plant, especially a sharp-pointed aborted branch; spine; prickle.
any of various thorny shrubs or trees, especially the hawthorns belonging to the genus Crataegus, of the rose family.
the wood of any of these trees.
a runic character (þ), borrowed into the Latin alphabet and representing the initial th sounds in thin and they in Old English, or thin in modern Icelandic.
something that wounds, annoys, or causes discomfort.
a sharp pointed woody extension of a stem or leaf Compare prickle
any of various trees or shrubs having thorns, esp the hawthorn
the wood of any of these plants
short for thorn moth
a Germanic character of runic origin Þ used in Old and Modern Icelandic to represent the voiceless dental fricative sound of th, as in thin, bath. Its use in phonetics for the same purpose is now obsolete See theta
this same character as used in Old and Middle English as an alternative to edh, but indistinguishable from it in function or sound Compare edh
zoology any of various sharp spiny parts
a source of irritation (esp in the phrases a thorn in one's side or flesh )
before 900; Middle English (noun), Old English; cognate with Dutch doorn, German Dorn, Old Norse thorn, Gothic thaurnus
A thorn is a sharp spike that protrudes from the stem of a plant. Roses are famous for having the sweetest fragrance and the sharpest thorns. Literal thorns, found on bushes and other plants, serve to protect plants from animals that might like to eat them. A "thorn in one's side" is an annoyance or problem: "My neighbors are a thorn in my side, with their constant loud music and crazy parties!" The source of this figurative definition is the Bible's "thorn in the flesh."
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Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The safari park lost its previous bull Thorn, who fathered 29 calves over the course of his life, in 2024.
From BBC • Jun. 13, 2026
Michaels, frontman of 1980s band Poison -- of "Every Rose Has Its Thorn" fame -- said Friday on Facebook that he made a "difficult decision to step away from this performance."
From Barron's • May 29, 2026
Ms. Koons uses movement sparingly, in moments such as the arrival of the Stranger and Thorn Rose’s climb to the turret.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 24, 2026
Farage has put £215,000 into the company and owns 6.3% of its shares through his investment vehicle Thorn In The Side Ltd.
From BBC • Apr. 13, 2026
“We found compelling evidence in his memories,” Thorn said.
From "Witchlings" by Claribel A. Ortega
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
