Dictionary

thistle en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /fɪsəl/ UK, th-fronting
• /θɪsl̩/
• (US) audio

Etymology

From Middle English thistel, from Old English þistel, from Proto-West Germanic *þistil, from Proto-Germanic *þistilaz. *þīh- from *teyg-, which is a variant of Proto-Indo-European *(s)teyg- (“to prick”); from this same Proto-Indo-European root comes English stick. Cognates include Scots thrissel, German Distel, Dutch distel, and Old Norse and Icelandic þistill.

Meanings

1. Any of several perennial composite plants, especially of genera Cirsium, Carduus, Cynara, or Onopordum, having prickly leaves and showy flower heads with prickly bracts.
   • I wasn’t born of a whistle, or milked from a thistle at twilight / No; I was all horns and thorns, sprung out fully formed, knock-kneed and upright 2006, Joanna Newsom, “Sawdust and Diamonds”, in Ys:
   • Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field [...]. 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Genesis 3:18:
2. This plant seen as the national emblem of Scotland.
3. An image of this plant used as a charge.
4. The Order of the Thistle, or membership thereof.
   • Here's a passage which will please you: ‘It is said that when rich he twice refused the thistle.’ 1978, Lawrence Durrell, Livia (Avignon Quintet), Faber & Faber, published 1992, page 324:

Forms

Deriveds

plumed thistle · thistly · milk thistle · bull thistle · pasture thistle · golden thistle · globe thistle · thistle bird · welted thistle · Watling Street thistle · hedgehog thistle · Mediterranean milk thistle · tumble thistle · star-thistle · thistle funnel · curly plumeless thistle · Mary thistle · common sow thistle · Italian thistle · silver thistle · corn thistle · soldier thistle · slough thistle · thistlish · creeping thistle · Russian thistle · shore thistle · blessed milk thistle · dwarf thistle · thistled · thistle button · way thistle · melancholy thistle · star thistle · pine thistle · artichoke thistle · thistle crown · thistle butterfly · Scotch thistle · European swamp thistle · roadside thistle · Canada thistle · thistle tube · stemless thistle · spear thistle · tall thistle · Marian thistle · thistleball · thistle sage · thistlewarp · musk thistle · Kansas thistle · thistlefinch · sow-thistle · thistledown · yellow thistle · cotton thistle · Plymouth thistle · burr thistle · variegated thistle · edible thistle · sow thistle · thistletail · fuller's thistle · Saint Mary's thistle · nodding thistle · thistlelike · saffron thistle · hare's thistle · woodthistle (Cirsium altissimus · blessed thistle · carline thistle · marsh thistle · wood-thistle · starthistle · Indian thistle

Translations (82)

hy տատասկափուշ (plant) · io kardono (plant) · he קוֹץ (plant) · be чартапало́х (plant) · wyi brugl-brugl (plant) · uk осо́т (plant) · sq ferreckë (plant) · gl toba (plant) · sv tistel (plant) · uk чортополо́х (plant) · lv usne (plant) · gv onnane (plant) · yur munipɹni (plant) · el γαϊδουράγκαθο (plant) · grc βαρακίνη (plant) · gl melardo (plant) · fi ohdake (plant) · lb Dëschtel (plant) · hy տատասկ (plant) · pt cardo (plant) · sq gjemb gomari (plant) · gl arzola (plant) · es cardo (plant) · nb tistel (plant) · wym döstuł (plant) · scn carduni (plant) · it cardo (plant) · ltg usne (plant) · scn cardu (plant) · gl cardio (plant) · gd fòghnan (plant) · sco thrissel (plant) · ga feochadán (plant) · et takjas (plant) · ga cluarán (plant) · sk bodliak (plant) · sq rrëfeshk (plant) · kw askallen (plant) · cs bodlák (plant) · fi takiainen (plant) · pl oset (plant) · sq gjembaç (plant) · de Distel (plant) · fr chardon (plant) · dsb wóset (plant) · ru чертополо́х (plant) · ja アザミ (plant) · pdc Dischdel (plant) · ro scaiete (plant) · eu kardu (plant) · dsb badak (plant) · bg магарешки бодил (plant) · da tidsel (plant) · lt usnis (plant) · la carduus (plant) · hu bogáncs (plant) · pl bodiak (plant) · fa کنگر (plant) · tr devedikeni (plant) · hy ուղտափուշ (plant) · myv чудожов (plant) · ko 엉겅퀴 (plant) · izh ohtajain (plant) · cmn 薊 /蓟 (plant) · tl pamingkit (plant) · nl distel (plant) · xh ikhakhakhaka (plant) · ca card (plant) · kw askal (plant) · az qanqal (plant) · ary شوك (plant) · ja 薊 (plant) · gd cluaran (plant) · wa tcherdon (plant) · et ohakas (plant) · eo kardo (plant) · cy ysgall (plant) · nn tistel (plant) · pdt Distel (plant) · gl cardo (plant) · cu влъчьць (plant) · ro ciulin (plant)

wikidata: Q538906