bull thistle

noun

1. a tall, spiny thistle, Cirsium vulgare, having heads of pink to purple flowers: a common weed in North America.

Word History and Origins

Origin of bull thistle¹

First recorded in 1860–65

Example Sentences

I would hear them every morning when I passed the railroad car and paused over the chickweed and bull thistle growing where Tyler had buried the rifle.

From Literature

Many wild American plants are edible but unavailable in supermarkets: dandelion, pig weed, bull thistle, skunk vine.

From Economist

Weeds are annuals, as pigweeds, crab grass, purslane; biennials as bull thistle and mulleins; perennials, like quack grass, Canada thistle, ox-eye Daisy.

From Project Gutenberg

No bull thistles, no hard winters, no narrer contracted fools; no long faces, an' plenty o' work.

From Project Gutenberg