From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Thistle \This"tle\, n. [OE. thistil, AS. [thorn]istel; akin to
D. & G. distel, OHG. distila, distil, Icel. [thorn]istill,
Sw. tistel, Dan. tidsel; of uncertain origin.] (Bot.)
Any one of several prickly composite plants, especially those
of the genera {Cnicus}, {Craduus}, and {Onopordon}. The name
is often also applied to other prickly plants.
[1913 Webster]
{Blessed thistle}, {Carduus benedictus}, so named because it
was formerly considered an antidote to the bite of
venomous creatures.
{Bull thistle}, {Cnicus lanceolatus}, the common large
thistle of neglected pastures.
{Canada thistle}, {Cnicus arvensis}, a native of Europe, but
introduced into the United States from Canada.
{Cotton thistle}, {Onopordon Acanthium}.
{Fuller's thistle}, the teasel.
{Globe thistle}, {Melon thistle}, etc. See under {Globe},
{Melon}, etc.
{Pine thistle}, {Atractylis gummifera}, a native of the
Mediterranean region. A vicid gum resin flows from the
involucre.
{Scotch thistle}, either the cotton thistle, or the musk
thistle, or the spear thistle; -- all used national
emblems of Scotland.
{Sow thistle}, {Sonchus oleraceus}.
{Spear thistle}. Same as {Bull thistle}.
{Star thistle}, a species of {Centaurea}. See {Centaurea}.
{Torch thistle}, a candelabra-shaped plant of the genus
Cereus. See {Cereus}.
{Yellow thistle}, {Cincus horridulus}.
[1913 Webster]
{Thistle bird} (Zool.), the American goldfinch, or
yellow-bird ({Spinus tristis}); -- so called on account of
its feeding on the seeds of thistles. See Illust. under
{Goldfinch}.
{Thistle butterfly} (Zool.), a handsomely colored American
butterfly ({Vanessa cardui}) whose larva feeds upon
thistles; -- called also {painted lady}.
{Thistle cock} (Zool.), the corn bunting ({Emberiza
militaria}). [Prov. Eng.]
{Thistle crown}, a gold coin of England of the reign of James
I., worth four shillings.
{Thistle finch} (Zool.), the goldfinch; -- so called from its
fondness for thistle seeds. [Prov. Eng.]
{Thistle funnel}, a funnel having a bulging body and flaring
mouth.
[1913 Webster]
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
thistle
n 1: any of numerous plants of the family Compositae and
especially of the genera Carduus and Cirsium and Onopordum
having prickly-edged leaves
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