Word Study
Spiny
CIDE DICTIONARY
Spiny, a. [From Spine.].
- Full of spines; thorny; as, a spiny tree. [1913 Webster]
- Like a spine in shape; slender. Chapman. [1913 Webster]
- Fig.: Abounding with difficulties or annoyances. [1913 Webster]"The spiny deserts of scholastic philosophy." [1913 Webster]
Spiny, n.
See Spinny. [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
Spiny, adj. (spinier, spiniest)
1 full of spines; prickly.
2 perplexing, troublesome, thorny.
1 full of spines; prickly.
2 perplexing, troublesome, thorny.
Idiom
spiny anteater = ECHIDNA. spiny lobster any of various large edible crustaceans of the family Palinuridae, esp. Palinuris vulgaris, with a spiny shell and no large anterior claws.
Derivative
spininess n.
THESAURUS
Spiny
Herculean, abstruse, acanthoid, acanthous, acicular, acuate, aculeate, aculeiform, acuminate, acute, arduous, barbed, brutal, complex, cornuted, critical, cusped, cuspidate, delicate, demanding, difficile, difficult, exacting, formidable, hairy, hard, hard-earned, hard-fought, hispid, horned, horny, intricate, jawbreaking, knotted, knotty, laborious, mean, mucronate, needle-pointed, needle-sharp, nettlesome, no picnic, not easy, operose, pointed, prickly, pronged, rigorous, rough, rugged, set with thorns, severe, sharp-pointed, spiculate, spiked, spiky, spined, spinous, steep, strenuous, tapered, tapering, thorny, ticklish, tined, toilsome, toothed, tough, tricky, unbated, uphill, wickedROGET THESAURUS
Spiny
Sharpness
N sharpness, acuity, acumination, spinosity, point, spike, spine, spicule, spiculum, needle, hypodermic needle, tack, nail, pin, prick, prickle, spur, rowel, barb, spit, cusp, horn, antler, snag, tag thorn, bristle, Adam's needle, bear grass, tine, yucca, nib, tooth, tusk, spoke, cog, ratchet, crag, crest, arete, cone peak, sugar loaf, pike, aiguille, spire, pyramid, steeple, beard, chevaux de frise, porcupine, hedgehog, brier, bramble, thistle, comb, awn, beggar's lice, bur, burr, catchweed, cleavers, clivers, goose, grass, hairif, hariff, flax comb, hackle, hatchel, heckle, wedge, knife edge, cutting edge, blade, edge tool, cutlery, knife, penknife, whittle, razor, razor blade, safety razor, straight razor, electric razor, scalpel, bistoury, lancet, plowshare, coulter, colter, hatchet, ax, pickax, mattock, pick, adze, gill, billhook, cleaver, cutter, scythe, sickle, scissors, shears, pruning shears, cutters, wire cutters, nail clipper, paper cutter, sword, bodkin, belduque, bowie knife, paring knife, bushwhacker, drawing knife, drawing shave, microtome, chisel, screwdriver blade, flint blade, guillotine, sharpener, hone, strop, grindstone, whetstone, novaculite, steel, emery, sharp, keen, acute, acicular, aciform, aculeated, acuminated, pointed, tapering, conical, pyramidal, mucronate, mucronated, spindle shaped, needle shaped, spiked, spiky, ensiform, peaked, salient, cusped, cuspidate, cuspidated, cornute, cornuted, cornicultate, prickly, spiny, spinous, spicular, thorny, bristling, muricated, pectinated, studded, thistly, briary, craggy, snaggy, digitated, two-edged, fusiform, dentiform, denticulated, toothed, odontoid, starlike, stellated, stelliform, sagittate, sagittiform, arrowheaded, arrowy, barbed, spurred, acinaciform, apiculate, apiculated, aristate, awned, awny, bearded, calamiform, cone-shaped, coniform, crestate, echinate, gladiate, lanceolate, lanciform, awl, awl-shaped, lance-shaped, awl- shaped, scimitar-shaped, sword-shaped, setarious, spinuliferous, subulate, tetrahedral, xiphoid, cutting, sharp edged, knife edged, sharp as a razor, keen as a razor, sharp as a needle, sharp as a tack, sharpened, set.For further exploring for "Spiny" in Webster Dictionary Online