spinose
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
- nonspinose adjective
- nonspinosely adverb
- nonspinosity noun
- spinosely adverb
- spinosity noun
- subspinose adjective
Etymology
Origin of spinose
From the Latin word spīnōsus, dating back to 1650–60. See spine, -ose 1
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Cryptic morphologies and elaborate spinose ornament have evolved in step with these predation pressures, the most extreme example being represented by the giant pholidomeleons.
From Scientific American • Apr. 1, 2013
It is recognized by its oblique cones, conspicuously spinose, indefinitely persistent and very serotinous.
From The Genus Pinus by Shaw, George Russell
In Mycetozoa, 2nd ed., the spores are described as "dark or pale purplish brown, spinose, spinulose or nearly smooth, 9–17 � in diameter."
From The North American Slime-Moulds A Descriptive List of All Species of Myxomycetes Hitherto Reported from the Continent of North America, with Notes on Some Extra-Limital Species by MacBride, Thomas H. (Thomas Huston)
The female heads are spinose with long pungent bracts, fall entire when ripe and are carried away by wind or sea, becoming finally anchored in the sand and falling to pieces.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 12, Slice 3 "Gordon, Lord George" to "Grasses" by Various
About a week later the eggs hatch into small spinose caterpillars which begin feeding upon the leaves near by.
From Butterflies Worth Knowing by Weed, Clarence M.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
