thorn en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- /θɔːn/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- [θo̞ɹn] (General-American)
- /θɔɹn/ (Scotland)
- /θɔːɹn/ rhotic
- [θɔːɹn] (Scotland)
- (UK) audio
- /θoɹn/ (General-American)
- /θɔːn/ non-rhotic
- (US) audio
Etymology
From Middle English thorn, þorn, from Old English þorn, from Proto-West Germanic *þorn, from Proto-Germanic *þurnaz, from Proto-Indo-European *tr̥nós, from *(s)ter- (“stiff”). Cognates Near cognates include West Frisian toarn, Low German Doorn, Dutch doorn, German Dorn, Danish and Norwegian torn, Swedish torn, törne, Gothic 𐌸𐌰𐌿𐍂𐌽𐌿𐍃 (þaurnus). Further cognates include Old Church Slavonic трънъ (trŭnŭ, “thorn”), Russian тёрн (tjorn), Polish cierń, Kamkata-viri taňi, tai (“thorn”), Sanskrit तृण (tṛ́ṇa, “grass”).
Meanings
- A modified branch that is hard and sharp like a spike.
-
Any thorn-like structure on plants, such as the spine and the prickle.
On the mountains a few junipers and piñons are found, and cactuses, agave, and yuccas, low, fleshy plants with bayonets and thorns.
1895, J[ohn] W[esley] Powell, chapter I, in Canyons of the Colorado, Meadville, PA: Flood & Vincent; republished as The Exploration of the Colorado River and Its Canyons, New York: Dover, 1961, →ISBN, →OCLC, page 22:
-
Any shrub or small tree that bears thorns, especially a hawthorn.
the cockspur thorn
the white thorn
-
(figuratively) That which pricks or annoys; anything troublesome.
The guilt of empire, all its thorns and cares, / Be only mine.
1692–1717, Robert South, Twelve Sermons Preached upon Several Occasions, volume (please specify |volume=I to VI), London:There was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me.
1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, 2 Corinthians 12:7:
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A letter of Latin script (capital: Þ, small: þ), borrowed from the futhark; today used only in Icelandic to represent the voiceless dental fricative, but originally used in several early Germanic scripts, including Old English where it represented the dental fricatives that are today written th (Old English did not have phonemic voicing distinctions for fricatives).
See also Etymology of ye (definite article).
In Old English manuscripts thorn and eth did not have different phonetic values but were used positionally[.]
1985, Robert Burchfield, The English Language, Oxford: Oxford University Press, page 175:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| thorns | Number=Plur | lexicographic | |
| þorn | alternative | lexicographic |
Deriveds
bastard umbrella thorn · thorn devil · thornback · thornlet · thorn apple · Egyptian thorn · September thorn · Christ's thorn · thorn plum · Thornton · thorn-apple crystal · thorn in someone's side · thorn in the flesh · Karoo thorn · crucifixion thorn · buckthorn · whitethorn · sweet thorn · bethorned · every rose has its thorn · thorntail · buffalo thorn · thornfish · thornbill · giraffe thorn · thornhog · Osage thorn · monkey thorn · thorn cluster · no rose without a thorn · thorn tree · Jerusalem thorn · yellowthorn · thorn hopper · sandthorn · boxthorn · hookthorn · thornen · goat's thorn · thorny · thorn in one's side · garland thorn · thornlike · Glastonbury thorn · thorn forest · thornbird · umbrella thorn · desert-thorn · thorn broom · thornveld · thornery · knobthorn · thornproof · thornless · blackthorn · thornbush · firethorn · Mysore thorn · camelthorn · every rose has a thorn · thornhead · thorn-tree · maythorn · fairy thorn
Translations (210)
uz tikon (sharp protective structure of a plant) · tr diken (sharp protective structure of a plant) · cmn 枝刺 (sharp protective structure of a plant) · mba dugi (sharp protective structure of a plant) · pl kolec (sharp protective structure of a plant) · arz شوك (sharp protective structure of a plant) · cs osten (sharp protective structure of a plant) · nmn gǃhàã (letter of the Latin alphabet (Þ, þ)) · de Dorn (sharp protective structure of a plant) · nb torn (sharp protective structure of a plant) · jra drơi (sharp protective structure of a plant) · ota دیكن (sharp protective structure of a plant) · km បន្លា (sharp protective structure of a plant) · pam duwi (sharp protective structure of a plant) · fy toarne (sharp protective structure of a plant) · bg трън (any shrub or small tree that bears thorns) · ro ghimpe (sharp protective structure of a plant) · rup schin (sharp protective structure of a plant) · mi tara (sharp protective structure of a plant) · kmr strî (sharp protective structure of a plant) · luy kumwiva (sharp protective structure of a plant) · be торн (letter of the Latin alphabet (Þ, þ)) · sw ba (letter of the Latin alphabet (Þ, þ)) · fo torn (letter of the Latin alphabet (Þ, þ)) · gd droigheann (sharp protective structure of a plant) · jv ꦲꦼꦫꦶ (sharp protective structure of a plant) · bcl tunok (sharp protective structure of a plant) · bg трън (sharp protective structure of a plant) · fi ota (sharp protective structure of a plant) · so qodax (sharp protective structure of a plant) · ki mũigua (sharp protective structure of a plant) · ckb دڕک (sharp protective structure of a plant) · ang þorn (sharp protective structure of a plant) · bg торн (letter of the Latin alphabet (Þ, þ)) · fi oas (sharp protective structure of a plant) · gl puga (sharp protective structure of a plant) · sw mwiba (sharp protective structure of a plant) · is þorn (letter of the Latin alphabet (Þ, þ)) · es puncha (sharp protective structure of a plant) · cmn 荊棘 /荆棘 (any shrub or small tree that bears thorns) · zyp hling (sharp protective structure of a plant) · fi thorn (letter of the Latin alphabet (Þ, þ)) · ltg ierškiezs (sharp protective structure of a plant) · ja 茨 (sharp protective structure of a plant) · grc σκόλοψ (figuratively: that which pricks) · abq мгъы (sharp protective structure of a plant) · dlm spaina (sharp protective structure of a plant) · es ajuate / uguate / huate (sharp protective structure of a plant) · ca eculi (sharp protective structure of a plant) · sq ferrë (any shrub or small tree that bears thorns) · ga dealg (sharp protective structure of a plant) · fa خار (sharp protective structure of a plant) · he שַׁיִת (sharp protective structure of a plant) · ru шип (sharp protective structure of a plant) · vi gai (sharp protective structure of a plant) · ccc kajpayi (sharp protective structure of a plant) · gl espunlla (sharp protective structure of a plant) · ca agulló (sharp protective structure of a plant) · sa कण्टक (sharp protective structure of a plant) · hi काँटा (sharp protective structure of a plant) · et oga (sharp protective structure of a plant) · th หนาม (sharp protective structure of a plant) · te ముల్లు (sharp protective structure of a plant) · et astel (sharp protective structure of a plant) · pam duyi (sharp protective structure of a plant) · hy փուշ (sharp protective structure of a plant) · haw kākala (sharp protective structure of a plant) · arz شوكة (sharp protective structure of a plant) · fr épine (sharp protective structure of a plant) · gd dealg (sharp protective structure of a plant) · bg бодил (sharp protective structure of a plant) · qu t'uksi (sharp protective structure of a plant) · gd stob (sharp protective structure of a plant) · fur spin (sharp protective structure of a plant) · ar أَسَلَة (sharp protective structure of a plant) · bg трън (figuratively: that which pricks) · lv ērkšķis (sharp protective structure of a plant) · az tikan (sharp protective structure of a plant) · et okas (sharp protective structure of a plant) · id duri (sharp protective structure of a plant) · lo ໜາມ (sharp protective structure of a plant) · sv torn (sharp protective structure of a plant) · sdh دِڕِگ (sharp protective structure of a plant) · fr thorn (letter of the Latin alphabet (Þ, þ)) · ru торн (letter of the Latin alphabet (Þ, þ)) · hu tüske (sharp protective structure of a plant) · grc ἄκανθα (sharp protective structure of a plant) · mbb duɣi (sharp protective structure of a plant) · fi piikki (figuratively: that which pricks) · nmn gǃqhàẽ (sharp protective structure of a plant) · cmn 莖刺 /茎刺 (sharp protective structure of a plant) · sv törne (sharp protective structure of a plant) · mnc ᠪᡠᠯᠠ (sharp protective structure of a plant) · fo torn (sharp protective structure of a plant) · eu elorri (sharp protective structure of a plant) · mk торн (letter of the Latin alphabet (Þ, þ)) · to tala (sharp protective structure of a plant) · lez цаз (sharp protective structure of a plant) · it aculeo (sharp protective structure of a plant) · gl espiña (sharp protective structure of a plant) · ca aculi (sharp protective structure of a plant) · sq ferrë (sharp protective structure of a plant) · qu kaşa (sharp protective structure of a plant) · mnw ဓလ (sharp protective structure of a plant) · gl sevia (sharp protective structure of a plant) · ms duri (sharp protective structure of a plant) · nod ᩉ᩠ᨶᩣ᩠ᨾ (sharp protective structure of a plant) · ln losende (sharp protective structure of a plant) · hu tövis (sharp protective structure of a plant) · es aguate / ahuate / afate / guate (sharp protective structure of a plant) · mr काटा (sharp protective structure of a plant) · la spīna (sharp protective structure of a plant) · af doring (sharp protective structure of a plant) · za oen (sharp protective structure of a plant) · rm spina (sharp protective structure of a plant) · ps اغزی (sharp protective structure of a plant) · my ဆူး (sharp protective structure of a plant) · pt espinho (sharp protective structure of a plant) · ja 荊 (sharp protective structure of a plant) · pl cierń (sharp protective structure of a plant) · su rucuk (sharp protective structure of a plant) · it spina (sharp protective structure of a plant) · ro spin (sharp protective structure of a plant) · sh trn (sharp protective structure of a plant) · ceb tunok (sharp protective structure of a plant) · cs trn (sharp protective structure of a plant) · mk трн (sharp protective structure of a plant) · as কাঁইট (sharp protective structure of a plant) · sc ispina (sharp protective structure of a plant) · cmn 刺 (sharp protective structure of a plant) · bsh taňí (sharp protective structure of a plant) · es shute (sharp protective structure of a plant) · ko 손 (letter of the Latin alphabet (Þ, þ)) · mr कंटक (sharp protective structure of a plant) · es espina (sharp protective structure of a plant) · kmr dirrî (sharp protective structure of a plant) · yi דאָרן (sharp protective structure of a plant) · ssy keena (sharp protective structure of a plant) · av заз (sharp protective structure of a plant) · mrw tenek (sharp protective structure of a plant) · sk tŕň (sharp protective structure of a plant) · kaw rwi (sharp protective structure of a plant) · frr Tuurn (sharp protective structure of a plant) · ko 가시 (sharp protective structure of a plant) · ty tara (sharp protective structure of a plant) · ckb دِڕوو (sharp protective structure of a plant) · kw dren (sharp protective structure of a plant) · eo dorno (sharp protective structure of a plant) · uk колю́чка (sharp protective structure of a plant) · zne kiwe (sharp protective structure of a plant) · as কঁটা (sharp protective structure of a plant) · sq thumb (sharp protective structure of a plant) · fa غاژ (sharp protective structure of a plant) · fi piikki (sharp protective structure of a plant) · ja 棘 (sharp protective structure of a plant) · sc spina (sharp protective structure of a plant) · qu kichka (sharp protective structure of a plant) · fo tornur (sharp protective structure of a plant) · pwn djui (sharp protective structure of a plant) · mi ngita (sharp protective structure of a plant) · el αγκάθι (sharp protective structure of a plant) · es pincha (sharp protective structure of a plant) · kaw duri (sharp protective structure of a plant) · nds Doorn (sharp protective structure of a plant) · ca fibló (sharp protective structure of a plant) · uk торн (letter of the Latin alphabet (Þ, þ)) · pt acúleo (sharp protective structure of a plant) · egy s-r:*t-M44 (sharp protective structure of a plant) · ru колю́чка (sharp protective structure of a plant) · fi oka (sharp protective structure of a plant) · ka ეკალი (sharp protective structure of a plant) · fi ora (sharp protective structure of a plant) · zdj shiɓa (sharp protective structure of a plant) · te కంటకము (sharp protective structure of a plant) · lv dzelonis (sharp protective structure of a plant) · ang þorn (letter of the Latin alphabet (Þ, þ)) · ar شَوْكَة (sharp protective structure of a plant) · lki دِڕک (sharp protective structure of a plant) · nn torn (sharp protective structure of a plant) · fur spine (sharp protective structure of a plant) · fi piikkipensas (any shrub or small tree that bears thorns) · tl tinik (sharp protective structure of a plant) · nl doorn (sharp protective structure of a plant) · gl áscura (sharp protective structure of a plant) · eo dorno (letter of the Latin alphabet (Þ, þ)) · sk pichliač (sharp protective structure of a plant) · da torn (sharp protective structure of a plant) · es thorn (letter of the Latin alphabet (Þ, þ)) · mnc ᠰᠠᡳᡥᡡᠸᠠ (sharp protective structure of a plant) · ur کانٹا (sharp protective structure of a plant) · tsg tunuk (sharp protective structure of a plant) · bni losende (sharp protective structure of a plant) · aa keena (sharp protective structure of a plant) · mel duwei (sharp protective structure of a plant) · ca espina (sharp protective structure of a plant) · cy draenen (sharp protective structure of a plant) · cmn Þ (letter of the Latin alphabet (Þ, þ)) · oc espina (sharp protective structure of a plant) · ay ch'aphi (sharp protective structure of a plant) · aqc цац (sharp protective structure of a plant) · no thorn (letter of the Latin alphabet (Þ, þ)) · eu arantza (sharp protective structure of a plant) · pox dren (sharp protective structure of a plant) · sm tala (sharp protective structure of a plant) · lt rakis (sharp protective structure of a plant) · he קֹוץ (sharp protective structure of a plant) · sk osteň (sharp protective structure of a plant) · rm spegna (sharp protective structure of a plant) · hil tunok (sharp protective structure of a plant) · ja 刺 (sharp protective structure of a plant)