Main Entry:

acan·thus

Pronunciation:

\ə-ˈkan(t)-thəs\

Function:

noun

Inflected Form(s):

plural acanthus

Etymology:

New Latin, genus name, from Greek akanthos, an acanthus, from akantha thorn

Date:

1551

1 : any of a genus (Acanthus of the family Acanthaceae, the acanthus family) of prickly perennial herbs chiefly of the Mediterranean region 2 : an ornamentation (as in a Corinthian capital) representing or suggesting the leaves of the acanthus

[acanthus illustration]