Subscriber login


Forgot your password?

Library card login

Other

thistle

Pronunciation: /ˈθɪs(ə)l/
Translate thistle | into French | into German | into Italian | into Spanish
Definition of thistle

noun

  • 1a widely distributed herbaceous plant of the daisy family, which typically has a prickly stem and leaves and rounded heads of purple flowers.
    • Carlina, Carduus, and other genera, family Compositae
  • 2a plant of the thistle type as the Scottish national emblem.
    • This is usually identified as the cotton thistle (Onopordum acanthium)

Derivatives

thistly

adjective

Origin:

Old English thistel, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch distel and German Distel

thistle in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of thistle in the US English dictionary

Nearby words

  |  Cite

More words in this category

Oxford Dictionaries Pro

For Oxford's best resources for writers, plus thesaurus, audio, and 1.9m examples.

GET PRO ►

Shop for an Oxford dictionary
Find the perfect Oxford dictionary for you in our online shop.
SHOP NOW ►

Word of the day

cur

/ kəː /
noun
an aggressive or unkempt dog …