Echinate
/ˈɛkɪneɪt/noun
Covered with stiff projections, spines, or bristles.
Did you know?The same Greek root behind echinate names echidnas, echinoderms, echinoids, and even the medicinal plant echinacea—all linked to the visual symbolism of spines.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
ἐχῖνος (ekhînos)
“Hedgehog, sea urchin, or any spiny creature”
Ancient Greek
Greek
ἐχινόεις (ekhinoeis)
“Spiny or resembling a hedgehog”
Classical Latin
Latin
echinus
“Hedgehog or sea urchin”
Classical Latin
Latin
echinatus
“Furnished with spines; spiny”
17th Century
English
echinate
“Having a surface covered with prickles or bristles”
Modern English
English
echinate
“Botanically or zoologically, covered with stiff projections or spines”
Explore more surprising origins