Prickly
ˈprɪkli
Definitions
2 meaningsCovered with or having many sharp points or spines.
ˈprɪkli
Having sharp points or spines.
The prickly pear cactus had a lot of sharp needles.
💡 Simply: Imagine touching a cactus or a porcupine. It's like that! Prickly means something has sharp points that could poke you.
👶 For kids: Something prickly has little pokey things on it that might hurt if you touch them, like a cactus!
More Examples
Be careful of the prickly bushes when hiking.
The porcupine had a prickly defense system.
How It's Used
"The rose bush had many prickly thorns."
"The hedgehog's coat is very prickly."
Easily offended or irritated; sensitive.
ˈprɪkli
Easily irritated or offended.
He became prickly when I mentioned his mistake.
💡 Simply: Think of someone who gets upset easily. If someone is prickly, they might be sensitive and react badly to things. Like when you accidentally bump into someone and they immediately get angry.
👶 For kids: Sometimes people are prickly like a cactus, meaning they get upset or angry easily.
More Examples
She had a prickly demeanor and was hard to approach.
He's been very prickly since he lost his job.
How It's Used
"She had a prickly personality and didn't take criticism well."
"He was quite prickly after he lost the game."
Idioms & expressions
prickly pear
A type of cactus with edible fruits and flat, pad-like stems covered in spines.
"We saw many prickly pear cacti during our desert hike."
From Middle English prikel, pricle, meaning 'to prick,' derived from Old English *prica* (a point, prick), related to *prician* (to prick). The suffix '-ly' denotes 'having the quality of.'
The word 'prickly' has been used to describe both physical and emotional traits since the late 16th century, with a literal sense pertaining to sharp points being more common historically.
Memory tip
Think of a cactus – very prickly!
Word Origin
"To prick, or pierce"