Thistle
Thistle , noun
[Old English thistil, Anglo-Saxon þistel; akin to Dutch & German distel, Old High German distila, distil, Icelandic þistill, Swedish tistel, Danish tidsel; of uncertain origin.]
(Botany) Any one of several prickly composite plants, especially those of the genera Cnicus, Craduus, and Onopordon. The name is often also applied to other prickly plants.
Collocations (19)
Blessed thistle , Carduus benedictus, so named because it was formerly considered an antidote to the bite of venomous creatures.
Bull thistle , Cnicus lanceolatus, the common large thistle of neglected pastures.
Canada thistle , Cnicus arvensis, a native of Europe, but introduced into the United States from Canada.
Cotton thistle , Onopordon Acanthium.
Fuller's thistle , the teasel.
Pine thistle , Atractylis gummifera, a native of the Mediterranean region. A vicid gum resin flows from the involucre.
Scotch thistle , either the cotton thistle, or the musk thistle, or the spear thistle; -- all used national emblems of Scotland.
Sow thistle , Sonchus oleraceus.
Spear thistle , Same as Bull thistle.
Star thistle , a species of Centaurea. See Centaurea.
Torch thistle , a candelabra-shaped plant of the genus Cereus. See Cereus.
Yellow thistle , Cincus horridulus.
Thistle bird (Zoology) , the American goldfinch, or yellow-bird (Spinus tristis); -- so called on account of its feeding on the seeds of thistles. See Illust. under Goldfinch.
Thistle butterfly (Zoology) , a handsomely colored American butterfly (Vanessa cardui) whose larva feeds upon thistles; -- called also painted lady.
Thistle cock (Zoology) , the corn bunting (Emberiza militaria). [Provincial English]
Thistle crown , a gold coin of England of the reign of James I., worth four shillings.
Thistle finch (Zoology) , the goldfinch; -- so called from its fondness for thistle seeds. [Provincial English]
Thistle funnel , a funnel having a bulging body and flaring mouth.