Standard Lemma guide

prickle

noun · verb · 12 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈpɹɪkəl/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A sharp, hard extension of the cortex and epidermis of some plants (such as roses), informally called a "thorn".

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: biology, botany, natural-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A small, sharp pointed object similar to the true prickle, such as a thorn.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

A tingling sensation of mild discomfort.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

A kind of willow basket.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

A sieve of hazelnuts, weighing about fifty pounds.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: UK, obsolete

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

noun

Meaning 6

A group of hedgehogs or porcupines.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: collective

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

verb

Meaning 7

To feel a prickle.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

verb

Meaning 8

To cause (someone) to feel a prickle; to prick.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

9

noun

Meaning 9

a small sharp-pointed tip resembling a spike on a stem or leaf

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: spine, thorn, pricker, sticker, spikelet

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: aculeus

Narrower terms: glochidium, glochid

10

verb

Meaning 10

make a small hole into, as with a needle or a thorn

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The nurse pricked my finger to get a small blood sample

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: prick

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: pierce

Narrower terms: needle

11

verb

Meaning 11

cause a stinging or tingling sensation

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: tingle

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: itch

12

verb

Meaning 12

cause a prickling sensation

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: prick

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: prick, sting, twinge

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

67 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Albanian: ferrë — A small, sharp pointed object, such as a thorn
  • Albanian: gjëmb — A small, sharp pointed object, such as a thorn
  • Albanian: spirr (gheg) — A small, sharp pointed object, such as a thorn
  • Bulgarian: шип (šip) — A small, sharp pointed object, such as a thorn
  • Bulgarian: бодил (bodil) — A small, sharp pointed object, such as a thorn
  • Bulgarian: трън (trǎn) — A small, sharp pointed object, such as a thorn
  • Chinese Mandarin: 皮刺 (pícì) — A small, sharp pointed object, such as a thorn
  • Chinese Mandarin: 刺 (cì) — A small, sharp pointed object, such as a thorn
  • Chinese Mandarin: 芒刺 (mángcì) — A small, sharp pointed object, such as a thorn
  • Czech: trn — A small, sharp pointed object, such as a thorn
  • Czech: osten — A small, sharp pointed object, such as a thorn
  • Czech: bodlina — A small, sharp pointed object, such as a thorn
  • Danish: pig — A small, sharp pointed object, such as a thorn
  • Dutch: prikkel — A small, sharp pointed object, such as a thorn
  • Dutch: stekel — A small, sharp pointed object, such as a thorn
  • Dutch: dorentje — A small, sharp pointed object, such as a thorn
  • Estonian: okas — A small, sharp pointed object, such as a thorn
  • Estonian: oga — A small, sharp pointed object, such as a thorn
  • Finnish: oka — A small, sharp pointed object, such as a thorn
  • Finnish: piikki — A small, sharp pointed object, such as a thorn
  • French: épine — A small, sharp pointed object, such as a thorn
  • Galician: espiña — A small, sharp pointed object, such as a thorn
  • Galician: espiño — A small, sharp pointed object, such as a thorn
  • Galician: pico — A small, sharp pointed object, such as a thorn
  • Georgian: ეკალი (eḳali) — A small, sharp pointed object, such as a thorn
  • German: Stachel — A small, sharp pointed object, such as a thorn
  • German: Dorn — A small, sharp pointed object, such as a thorn
  • Irish: colg — A small, sharp pointed object, such as a thorn
  • Japanese: とげ (toge) — A small, sharp pointed object, such as a thorn
  • Low German: Stickel — A small, sharp pointed object, such as a thorn
  • Low German: Prickel — A small, sharp pointed object, such as a thorn
  • Low German: Angel — A small, sharp pointed object, such as a thorn
  • Low German: Steker — A small, sharp pointed object, such as a thorn
  • Māori: ngita — A small, sharp pointed object, such as a thorn
  • Māori: pūngitangita — A small, sharp pointed object, such as a thorn
  • Māori: pūtangitangi — A small, sharp pointed object, such as a thorn
  • Polish: kolec — A small, sharp pointed object, such as a thorn
  • Portuguese: ferrão — A small, sharp pointed object, such as a thorn
  • Romanian: spin — A small, sharp pointed object, such as a thorn
  • Russian: колю́чка (koljúčka) — A small, sharp pointed object, such as a thorn
  • Russian: шип (šip) — A small, sharp pointed object, such as a thorn
  • Scottish Gaelic: dealg — A small, sharp pointed object, such as a thorn
  • Southern Altai: ийнелик (iynelik) — A small, sharp pointed object, such as a thorn
  • Spanish: aguijón — A small, sharp pointed object, such as a thorn
  • Spanish: espina — A small, sharp pointed object, such as a thorn
  • Spanish: púa — A small, sharp pointed object, such as a thorn
  • Ottoman Turkish: ایكنه (iğne) — A small, sharp pointed object, such as a thorn
  • Vietnamese: gai — A small, sharp pointed object, such as a thorn
  • Bulgarian: пробождане (proboždane) — A tingling sensation of mild discomfort
  • Chinese Mandarin: 刺痛 (cìtòng) — A tingling sensation of mild discomfort
  • Czech: brnění — A tingling sensation of mild discomfort
  • Czech: svrbění — A tingling sensation of mild discomfort
  • Czech: mravenčení — A tingling sensation of mild discomfort
  • Czech: píchání — A tingling sensation of mild discomfort
  • Finnish: pistely — A tingling sensation of mild discomfort
  • Hindi: चुभन (cubhan) — A tingling sensation of mild discomfort
  • Russian: колотьё (kolotʹjó) — A tingling sensation of mild discomfort
  • Russian: пока́лывание (pokályvanije) — A tingling sensation of mild discomfort
  • Russian: испы́тывать/ощуща́ть покалывание/колотьё (pokalyvanije) — to feel a prickle
  • Czech: píchat — to cause someone to feel a prickle
  • Czech: škrábat — to cause someone to feel a prickle
  • Czech: kousat — to cause someone to feel a prickle
  • Dutch: prikkelen — to cause someone to feel a prickle
  • German: prickeln — to cause someone to feel a prickle
  • Low German: prickeln — to cause someone to feel a prickle
  • Russian: коло́ть (kolótʹ) — to cause someone to feel a prickle
  • Russian: уколо́ть (ukolótʹ) — to cause someone to feel a prickle