spiny
adjective
Simple meaning
Covered in spines or thorns.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
spyneeSay the bold part a little louder.
IPA pronunciation (US)
ˈspaɪni
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
adjective
Covered in spines or thorns.
Having spines
Like a spine in shape; slender.
Troublesome; difficult or vexing.
Word at a Glance
- Difficulty
- C2 · Proficient (estimated)
- Frequency
- Rare
- Typical Use
- Primarily written
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Common Patterns and Combinations
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Similar Words, What’s the Difference?
Close in meaning, but not always interchangeable.
Having or covered with protective barbs or quills or spines or thorns or setae etc.
Having a covering of fine barbs, quills, spines or thorns.
Covered with bristles.
Having thorns or spines.
Word Family
Related forms, grouped by how they connect.
Word family
Words built from the same root.
Anesthesia of the lower half of the body.
Compound terms
Established multiword terms.
Dogfish of Pacific coast of North America.
Of or relating to fish with spiny fins.
A teleost fish with fins that are supported by sharp inflexible rays.
Any of various worms living parasitically in intestines of vertebrates having a retractile proboscis covered with many hooked spines.
A burrowing monotreme mammal covered with spines and having a long snout and claws for hunting ants and termites.
Small bottom-dwelling dogfishes.
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