Acanthus Definition

ə-kănthəs
acanthi, acanthuses
noun
Any of various perennial herbs or small shrubs of the genus Acanthus, native to the Mediterranean and having pinnately lobed basal leaves with spiny margins and showy spikes of white or purplish flowers.
American Heritage
Any of a genus (Acanthus) of thistlelike plants of the acanthus family with lobed, often spiny leaves and long spikes of white or colored flowers, found in the Mediterranean region.
Webster's New World
A design patterned after the leaves of one of these plants, used especially on the capitals of Corinthian columns.
American Heritage
A motif or conventional representation of the leaf of this plant, used esp. on the capitals of Corinthian columns.
Webster's New World

(botany) A member of the genus Acanthus of herbaceous prickly plants with toothed leaves, (family Acanthaceae, order Scrophulariales) found in the south of Europe, Asia Minor, and India.[First attested in the mid 16th century.]

Wiktionary
adjective
Designating a family (Acanthaceae, order Scrophulariales) of dicotyledonous plants, including bear's-breech.
Webster's New World
pronoun

A taxonomic genus within the family Acanthaceae — prickly herbs that grow in the Mediterranean; the acanthuses.

Wiktionary
suffix
(zoology) Animal having such a spine.
Wiktionary

Other Word Forms of Acanthus

Noun

Singular:
acanthus
Plural:
acanthi, acanthuses

Origin of Acanthus

  • From Latin acanthus, from Ancient Greek ἄκανθος (akanthos), from ἀκή (akē, “thorn”) + ἄνθος (anthos, “flower”).

    From Wiktionary

  • New Latin Acanthus genus name from Greek akanthos thorn plant from akantha thorn

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

  • From Ancient Greek ἄκανθος (akanthos), from ἄκανθα (akantha, “thorn”), from ἀκή (akē, “point”).

    From Wiktionary

  • From New Latin, from Ancient Greek ἄκανθα (akantha, “thorn, spine”)

    From Wiktionary

Find Similar Words

Find similar words to acanthus using the buttons below.

Words Starting With

Words Ending With

Unscrambles

acanthus