Spiny
/ˈspaɪni/noun
Covered with or bearing spines; prickly.
Did you know?English spine and spiny ultimately trace back to a Latin root for a thorn or sharp point, which is why the word feels so physically jagged even today.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*spī-
“To be sharp or pointed”
Latin
Latin
spīna
“A thorn, spine, or sharp point”
Old French
Old French
espine
“A thorn or spine”
Middle English
English
spiny
“Covered with spines or thorns”
Modern English
English
spiny
“Covered with or bearing spines; prickly”
Explore more surprising origins