crown-of-thorns starfish

noun

A large (25-35 cm full grown) starfish with venomous thornlike spines that cover its upper surface, Acanthaster planci.

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Meanings

nouncrown-of-thorns starfish (plural crown-of-thorns starfishes or crown-of-thorns starfish)

plural crown-of-thorns starfishes

  1. A large (25-35 cm full grown) starfish with venomous thornlike spines that cover its upper surface, Acanthaster planci.

Origin

From the spines on the top of this starfish that resemble the biblical crown of thorns.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Afrikaans doringkroonseester
  • doringkroonseesterAcanthaster planci
Arabic نجم البحر المكلل بالشوك
  • نجم البحر المكلل بالشوكAcanthaster planci
Bulgarian трънен венец
  • трънен венец (trănen venec)Acanthaster planci
Chinese Mandarin 棘冠海星, 魔鬼海星
  • 棘冠海星Acanthaster planci
  • 魔鬼海星Acanthaster planci
Czech hvězdice trnová koruna
  • hvězdice trnová korunaAcanthaster planci
Dutch doornenkroon
  • doornenkroonAcanthaster planci
Finnish piikkikruunu
  • piikkikruunuAcanthaster planci
French acanthaster pourpre, couronne du Christ
  • acanthaster pourpreAcanthaster planci
  • couronne du ChristAcanthaster planci
  • couronne d’épinesAcanthaster planci
  • coussin de belle-mèreAcanthaster planci
German Dornenkronenseestern
  • DornenkronenseesternAcanthaster planci
Hebrew כיפת־קוצים קטלנית
  • כיפת־קוצים קטלניתAcanthaster planci
Hungarian töviskoronás tengericsillag
  • töviskoronás tengericsillagAcanthaster planci
Italian stella corona di spine
  • stella corona di spineAcanthaster planci
Japanese 鬼海星
  • 鬼海星 (onihitode)Acanthaster planci
Korean 악마불가사리
  • 악마불가사리 (angmabulgasari)Acanthaster planci
Lithuanian dygliuotoji jūrų žvaigždė
  • dygliuotoji jūrų žvaigždėAcanthaster planci
Persian ستاره دریایی تاجتیغی
  • ستاره دریایی تاجتیغیAcanthaster planci
Polish korona cierniowa
  • korona cierniowaAcanthaster planci
Portuguese coroa-de-espinhos
  • coroa-de-espinhosAcanthaster planci
Russian терновый венец, акантастер
  • терновый венец (ternovyj venec)Acanthaster planci
  • акантастер (akantaster)Acanthaster planci
Spanish corona de espinas, acantáster púrpura
  • corona de espinasAcanthaster planci
  • acantáster púrpuraAcanthaster planci
Swedish törnekrona
  • törnekronaAcanthaster planci
Thai ดาวมงกุฎหนาม
  • ดาวมงกุฎหนามAcanthaster planci
Ukrainian терновий вінок, акантастер
  • терновий вінок (ternovyj vinok)Acanthaster planci
  • акантастер (akantaster)Acanthaster planci
Vietnamese sao biển gai
  • sao biển gaiAcanthaster planci
Cite this entry
APA

crown-of-thorns starfish. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/crown-of-thorns%20starfish

MLA

“crown-of-thorns starfish.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/crown-of-thorns%20starfish. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “crown-of-thorns starfish,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/crown-of-thorns%20starfish.

Source: crown-of-thorns starfish on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.