Standard Lemma guide

prickly

adj · adv · noun · 8 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.

  • Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: P R IH1 K L IY0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Covered with sharp points.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • The prickly pear is a cactus; you have to peel it before eating it to remove the spines and the tough skin.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Easily irritated.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: figuratively

Examples

  • He has a prickly personality. He doesn't get along with people because he is easily set off.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adj

Meaning 3

Difficult; complicated; hairy or thorny.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: figuratively

Examples

  • It was a prickly situation.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

adv

Meaning 4

In a prickly manner.

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

Something that gives a pricking sensation; a sharp object.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: colloquial

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

noun

Meaning 6

A person who favours formal, structured, organized settings.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: US

Topics: education, human-sciences, psychology, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: gooey

7

adjective satellite

Meaning 7

having or covered with protective barbs or quills or spines or thorns or setae etc.

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • a horse with a short bristly mane
  • bristly shrubs
  • burred fruits
  • setaceous whiskers

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: barbed, barbellate, briary, briery, bristled, bristly, burred, burry, setose, setaceous, spiny, thorny

Antonyms: none provided

8

adjective satellite

Meaning 8

very irritable

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • bristly exchanges between the White House and the press
  • he became prickly and spiteful
  • witty and waspish about his colleagues

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: bristly, splenetic, waspish

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From prickle + -y.

Across languages

Translations

64 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: бодлив (bodliv) — covered with sharp points
  • Bulgarian: трънлив (trǎnliv) — covered with sharp points
  • Catalan: espinós — covered with sharp points
  • Czech: pichlavý — covered with sharp points
  • French: épineux — covered with sharp points
  • German: stachelig — covered with sharp points
  • German: dornig — covered with sharp points
  • German: Stachel- — covered with sharp points
  • Greek: αγκαθερός (agkatherós) — covered with sharp points
  • Ancient Greek: ἀκάνθινος (akánthinos) — covered with sharp points
  • Hindi: कटीला (kaṭīlā) — covered with sharp points
  • Irish: colgach — covered with sharp points
  • Latin: spinifer — covered with sharp points
  • Macedonian: бодликав (bodlikav) — covered with sharp points
  • Māori: tōtara — covered with sharp points
  • Māori: pūtiotio — covered with sharp points
  • Māori: korotiotio — covered with sharp points
  • Māori: tiotio — covered with sharp points
  • Māori: koikoi — covered with sharp points
  • Māori: kōtaratara — covered with sharp points
  • Māori: tuatete — covered with sharp points
  • Portuguese: espinhoso — covered with sharp points
  • Quechua: t'uksi — covered with sharp points
  • Romanian: țepos — covered with sharp points
  • Romanian: ghimpos — covered with sharp points
  • Romanian: spinos — covered with sharp points
  • Russian: колю́чий (koljúčij) — covered with sharp points
  • Scottish Gaelic: deilgneach — covered with sharp points
  • Scottish Gaelic: droighneach — covered with sharp points
  • Sicilian: spinusu — covered with sharp points
  • Sicilian: spinatu — covered with sharp points
  • Spanish: espinoso — covered with sharp points
  • Spanish: espinudo — covered with sharp points
  • Spanish: con espinas — covered with sharp points
  • Swedish: taggig — covered with sharp points
  • Bulgarian: обидчив (obidčiv) — easily irritated
  • Catalan: malhumorós — easily irritated
  • French: irritable — easily irritated
  • French: irascible — easily irritated
  • German: reizbar — easily irritated
  • German: gereizt — easily irritated
  • German: kratzbürstig — easily irritated
  • Greek: αγκαθερός (agkatherós) — easily irritated
  • Irish: drisíneach — easily irritated
  • Irish: colgach — easily irritated
  • Italian: permaloso — easily irritated
  • Italian: suscettibile — easily irritated
  • Portuguese: irritadiço — easily irritated
  • Romanian: iritabil — easily irritated
  • Romanian: irascibil — easily irritated
  • Romanian: supărăcios — easily irritated
  • Sicilian: siḍḍijatu — easily irritated
  • Sicilian: gnestu — easily irritated
  • Spanish: irritable — easily irritated
  • Spanish: malhumorado — easily irritated
  • Swedish: taggig — easily irritated
  • Bulgarian: щекотлив (štekotliv) — difficult, hairy
  • German: heikel — difficult, hairy
  • German: kratzbürstig — difficult, hairy
  • Romanian: dificil — difficult, hairy
  • Sicilian: ntricatu — difficult, hairy
  • Spanish: espinoso — difficult, hairy
  • Spanish: difícil — difficult, hairy
  • Spanish: peliagudo — difficult, hairy