spiny

See also: špíny

English

Etymology

spine +‎ -y

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈspaɪni/

  • Audio (Southern England)

    (file)

• Rhymes: -aɪni

Adjective

spiny (comparative spinier, superlative spiniest)

1. Covered in spines or thorns.
2. Troublesome; difficult or vexing
   • 1727, William Warburton, Critical and Philosophical Enquiry into the Causes of Miracles:

     The spiney desarts of scholastic philosophy

3. Like a spine in shape; slender.
   • [1611?], Homer, “(please specify |book=I to XXIV)”, in Geo[rge] Chapman, transl., The Iliads of Homer Prince of Poets. […], London: […] Nathaniell Butter, →OCLC; The Iliads of Homer, Prince of Poets, […], new edition, volumes (please specify the book number), London: Charles Knight and Co., […], 1843, →OCLC:

     Spiny grasshoppers sit chirping.

     The spelling has been modernized.

Synonyms

• (covered in spines): thorny, prickly
• (troublesome): thorny, prickly

Derived terms

• aspiny
• medium spiny neuron
• Solomon Island spiny monitor
• spinily
• spininess
• spiny anteater
• spiny bamboo
• spiny broom
• spiny-cheeked honeyeater
• spiny-cheek sleeper
• spiny dogfish
• spiny eel
• spiny-headed worm
• spiny hopsage
• spiny lobster
• spiny mouse
• spiny murex
• spiny oyster
• spiny rat
• spiny softshell turtle
• spiny spider crab
• spiny-tailed lizard
• spiny tubeworm
• subspiny
• Texas spiny lizard

 

Translations

covered in prickles

• Bulgarian: бодлив (bg) (bodliv)
• French: piquant (fr)
• Latin: spinifer
• Maori: pūtaratara, tuatete

Noun

spiny (plural spinies)

1. Archaic form of spinny.

References

• “spiny”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.

Anagrams

• Pin@ys, nipsy, snipy

Polish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈspi.nɨ/
• Rhymes: -inɨ
• Syllabification: spi‧ny

Noun

spiny f

1. inflection of spina:
   1. genitive singular
   2. nominative/accusative/vocative plural

Noun

spiny m

1. nominative/accusative/vocative plural of spin