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Prickly vs Thorny - What's the difference?

prickly | thorny |

As adjectives the difference between prickly and thorny

is that prickly is covered with sharp points while thorny is having thorns or spines.

prickly

English

Adjective

(er)
  • Covered with sharp points.
  • Prickly pear is a cactus, you have to peel it before eating it to remove the spines and the tough skin.
  • Easily irritated.
  • He has a prickly personality. He doesn't get along with people because he is easily set off.
  • difficult, hairy, complicated
  • Synonyms

    * (covered with sharp points) thorny, spiny

    Derived terms

    * prickly comfrey * prickly glasswort * prickly heat * prickly saltwort * prickly sculpin * prickly shield fern * prickly tang

    thorny

    English

    Adjective

    (er)
  • having thorns or spines
  • troublesome or vexatious
  • * Shakespeare
  • the steep and thorny way to heaven
  • aloof and irritable
  • * Louisa May Alcott, Good Wives
  • 'Come, Jo, don't be thorny . After studying himself to a skeleton all the week, a fellow deserves petting, and ought to get it.'

    Derived terms

    * (l) * thorny restharrow * thorny trefoil

    Anagrams

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