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Definition of thorn

thorn

/θɔːrn/
thorn
Plural:thorns
•
Adjective:thorny
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thorn Lexical Profile

thorn Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A stiff, sharp-pointed, woody projection on the stem or other part of a plant.

Example

"She accidentally pricked her finger on a rose thorn while gathering flowers from the garden."

2

A constant source of annoyance, distress, or grief.

Example

"The unresolved property dispute remained a persistent thorn in the side of the local council."

3

A runic letter (Þ, þ) used in Old English, Middle English, and modern Icelandic alphabets to represent either the voiceless or voiced dental fricative 'th' sound.

Example

"When reading medieval English manuscripts, modern students often confuse the letter thorn with the letter 'y'."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
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• Rhymes for thorn

• Nearby Words

thomsons falls
thong
thorax
thorn
thornback ray
thornbush
thorned

Word Origin & Etymology

From Old English 'þorn', of Germanic origin; related to Dutch 'doorn' and German 'Dorn', from an Indo-European root meaning 'stiff' or 'sharp'.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Thorn. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/thorn
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