Prickle

//ˈpɹɪkəl// noun, verb

noun, verb ·Moderate ·College level

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    A sharp, hard extension of the cortex and epidermis of some plants (such as roses), informally called a "thorn".
  2. 2
    a small sharp-pointed tip resembling a spike on a stem or leaf wordnet
  3. 3
    A small, sharp pointed object similar to the true prickle, such as a thorn.

    "The plants that have prickles are, thorns, black and white, briar, rose, lemon-trees,[…]"

  4. 4
    A tingling sensation of mild discomfort.
  5. 5
    A kind of willow basket.

    "If I had but a pottle of Sacke, like a sharp prickle, / To knock my nose against when I am nodding"

Show 2 more definitions
  1. 6
    A sieve of hazelnuts, weighing about fifty pounds. UK, obsolete
  2. 7
    A group of hedgehogs or porcupines. collective
Verb
  1. 1
    To feel a prickle. intransitive
  2. 2
    make a small hole into, as with a needle or a thorn wordnet
  3. 3
    To cause (someone) to feel a prickle; to prick. transitive

    "Guilt prickled me. It was about to get much worse."

  4. 4
    cause a stinging or tingling sensation wordnet
  5. 5
    cause a prickling sensation wordnet

Synonyms

All synonyms
needlespinestingtingleaculeusacumination

Example

More examples

"Just the thought of it makes my skin prickle."

Related phrases

prickle cell

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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.