ACANTHUS (acanthi)

 Dictionary entry overview: What does acanthus mean? 

• ACANTHUS (noun)
  The noun ACANTHUS has 1 sense:

1. any plant of the genus Acanthus having large spiny leaves and spikes or white or purplish flowers; native to Mediterranean region but widely cultivated

  Familiarity information: ACANTHUS used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• ACANTHUS (noun)

Meaning:

Any plant of the genus Acanthus having large spiny leaves and spikes or white or purplish flowers; native to Mediterranean region but widely cultivated

Classified under:

Nouns denoting plants

Hypernyms ("acanthus" is a kind of...):

herb; herbaceous plant (a plant lacking a permanent woody stem; many are flowering garden plants or potherbs; some having medicinal properties; some are pests)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "acanthus"):

Acanthus mollis; bear's breech; bear's breeches; sea holly (widely cultivated southern European acanthus with whitish purple-veined flowers)

Holonyms ("acanthus" is a member of...):

genus Acanthus (bear's breeches)