spiny

See also: špíny

English

Etymology 1

From spine +‎ -y.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈspaɪni/

  • Audio (Southern England):

    (file)

• Rhymes: -aɪni

Adjective

spiny (comparative spinier, superlative spiniest)

1. Covered in spines or thorns.

   Coordinate terms: (of pelage) hispid, bristly, silky, smooth

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, “The Third Booke of Homers Iliads”, in Geo[rge] Chapman, transl., The Iliads of Homer Prince of Poets. […], London: […] Nathaniell Butter, →OCLC, page 40:

     And, as in well-growne woods, on trees, cold ſpinie Graſhoppers / Sit chirping, […]

Synonyms

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

Derived terms

• aspiny
• graphic spiny lizard
• medium spiny neuron
• Neotropical spiny rat
• nonspiny
• Solomon Island spiny monitor
• spinily
• spininess
• spiny anteater
• spiny bamboo
• spiny bear's breech
• spiny broom
• spiny-cheeked honeyeater
• spiny-cheek sleeper
• spiny cocklebur
• spiny coriander
• spiny dogfish
• spiny eel
• spinyhead
• spiny-headed worm
• spiny hopsage
• spiny lizard
• spiny lobster
• spiny mouse
• spiny murex
• spiny oyster
• spiny pocket mouse
• spiny projection neuron
• spiny rat
• spiny seahorse
• spiny shark
• spiny softshell turtle
• spiny spider crab
• spiny-tailed lizard
• spiny tubeworm
• subspiny
• Texas spiny lizard
• unspiny

Translations

covered in prickles

• Bulgarian: бодлив (bg) (bodliv)
• Czech: ostnatý (cs), bodlinatý, trnitý (cs)
• French: piquant (fr)
• Hindi: कटीला (hi) (kaṭīlā)
• Latin: spinifer
• Māori: pūtaratara, tuatete

Etymology 2

Noun

spiny (plural spinies)

1. Archaic form of spinney.

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.nɘ/
• Rhymes: -inɘ
• 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