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Definition of thornyhead
thornyhead
/ˈθɔːr.niˌhɛd/
thor · ny · head
Plural:thornyheads
thornyhead Lexical Profile
CEFR
C2
Grade
11
Tier
3
Usage
Rare
• noun
1
North American A deep-sea marine fish of the genus Sebastolobus, native to the North Pacific Ocean, characterized by a large head covered in prominent, sharp spines and red coloration.
Example
"The shortspine thornyhead is a long-lived species often targeted by deep-water commercial fisheries along the Pacific coast."
Synonyms
View all synonyms for thornyhead• Rhymes for thornyhead
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Word Origin & Etymology
A compound of 'thorny' and 'head', directly referencing the prominent, sharp spines found on the head of this genus of fish.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Thornyhead. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 14, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/thornyhead