Teazel
/ˈtiːzəl/noun
A prickly plant of the genus Dipsacus, especially one used for teasing or raising the nap of cloth.
Did you know?Teazel is named for its use in teasing cloth, and the word’s history is tied to an old English verb meaning “to tease” or “card,” not to any magical plant lore.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*deig-
“to point out, show, or indicate”
Old English
OE
tǣsan
“to tease, card, or comb wool or cloth”
Middle English
ME
tesel
“a teasel plant used in cloth finishing”
Early Modern English
English
teasel
“the prickly plant used to raise the nap of cloth”
Modern English
English
teazel
“a variant spelling of teasel”