spiny

S1P3I1N1Y4
/ˈspaɪni/

adjective

Covered in spines or thorns.

Similar
thornypricklyspinousbarbedbarbellatebriarybrierybristled
Less commonScrabble 10
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Meanings

spiny1

adjectivespiny (comparative spinier, superlative spiniest)

comparative spinier · superlative spiniest

  1. Covered in spines or thorns.

    Synonyms: thorny, prickly

  2. Troublesome; difficult or vexing.

    The spiney desarts of scholastic philosophy

    1727, William Warburton, Critical and Philosophical Enquiry into the Causes of Miracles

    Synonyms: thorny, prickly

  3. Like a spine in shape; slender.

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

    [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

spiny2

nounspiny (plural spinies)

plural spinies

  1. archaicArchaic form of spinney.

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectiveCovered in spines or thorns.

Similar
thornyprickly

adjectiveTroublesome; difficult or vexing.

Similar
thornyprickly

More synonyms by meaning

adjectivehaving spines

Similar
spinous

adjectivehaving or covered with protective barbs or quills or spines or thorns or setae etc.

Similar
barbedbarbellatebriarybrierybristledbristlyburredburrypricklysetosesetaceousthornyarmed
Also see
barbedbarbellatebriarybrierybristledbristlyburrypricklysetaceoussetosespinelikespinousthorny

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

From spine + -y.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian бодлив
  • бодлив (bodliv)covered in prickles
Czech ostnatý, bodlinatý
  • ostnatýcovered in prickles
  • bodlinatýcovered in prickles
  • trnitýcovered in prickles
Finnish okainen
  • okainencovered in prickles
French piquant
  • piquantcovered in prickles
Hindi कटीला
  • कटीला (kaṭīlā)covered in prickles
Latin spinifer
  • spinifercovered in prickles
Māori pūtaratara, tuatete
  • pūtarataracovered in prickles
  • tuatetecovered in prickles

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with spiny

tinywhinybrinyvinyheiniesunshinywiny
All rhymes →

Anagrams

nipsysnipy
Cite this entry
APA

spiny. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/spiny

MLA

“spiny.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/spiny. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “spiny,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/spiny.

Source: spiny on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.