Basic+ Word of the Day: thorn

thorn (noun)

A thorn is a hard, sharp point growing out of a plant.

• When the gardener picked the rose, he cut his finger on a thorn.
• Be careful of the thorns when you walk through the woods.

Common uses

a thorn in your side: a cause of continued annoyance. Example: “His noisy roommate was a thorn in William’s side.”

Related words

thorny: full of difficulties and complexities. Example: “The debate over the new budget poses several thorny questions.”

In pop culture

Have you heard “Every rose has its thorn?” It means that even a beautiful rose has something bad or dangerous about it. Listen to Poison sing their song by that name.

There are other meanings of thorn.