acanth

‖n. [ Gr. &unr_; thorn, fr. &unr_; point. See Acute. ] 1. (Bot.) A prickle. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Zool.) A spine or prickly fin. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Anat.) The vertebral column; the spinous process of a vertebra. Dunglison. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Armed with prickles, as a plant. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Bot.) Of, pertaining to, or resembling, the family of plants of which the acanthus is the type. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. acanthinus, Gr. &unr_;, thorny, fr. &unr_;. See Acanthus. ] Of, pertaining to, or resembling, the plant acanthus. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Gr. &unr_; thorn + &unr_; fruit. ] (Bot.) Having the fruit covered with spines. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. pl. [ NL., from Gr. &unr_; a spine, thorn + &unr_; head. ] (Zool.) A group of intestinal worms, having the proboscis armed with recurved spines. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Zool.) Having a spiny head, as one of the Acanthocephala. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. a genus of Australian elapid snakes.
Syn. -- genus Acanthophis. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

a. [ Gr. &unr_;, fr. &unr_; spine + fe`rein to bear. ] Spine-bearing. Gray. [ 1913 Webster ]