prickle

1 of 2

noun

prick·​le ˈpri-kəl How to pronounce prickle (audio)
1
: a fine sharp process or projection
especially : a sharp pointed emergence arising from the epidermis or cortex (see cortex sense 3a) of a plant (such as a rose or raspberry) compare spine, thorn
2
: a prickling or tingling sensation

prickle

2 of 2

verb

prickled; prickling ˈpri-k(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce prickle (audio)

transitive verb

1
: to prick slightly
2
: to produce prickles in

intransitive verb

: to cause or feel a prickling, tingling, or stinging sensation

Examples of prickle in a Sentence

Noun She felt a prickle of fear as the stranger came closer to her. He felt the familiar prickle of excitement as the game began. Verb The burrs were prickling my arm. The wool sweater prickled my skin. My skin prickled with fear. The hair prickled on the back of my neck. She felt a prickling sensation in her shoulder.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
My skin got that proper prickle. Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2021 The hairs on the back of our neck prickle. Christie Wilcox, Discover Magazine, 13 June 2012 Paul Leonard-Morgan’s score is haunting and foreboding, making the hairs on the back of our neck prickle. Courtney Howard, Variety, 16 Mar. 2023 But now his treatise comes with a prickle, an asterisk. Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 18 May 2022 The notion of home is a perpetual prickle that plagues all refugees and exiles, apparently even me. Sigrid MacRae, Harper's Magazine, 16 Mar. 2021 Lately, we’ve been stuck in them, like a prickle in a quiver, chickens in a coop, bears in a den, waiting out our desolate hibernation. Jill Lepore, The New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2020 Duende is the Spanish word for it: the prickle on the skin, the ax-edge of experience, sublimity freeze-framed—even a shining closeness to death. James Parker, The Atlantic, 21 Dec. 2019 Keep wet clothes from getting tangled in your dryer with these hedgehogs, whose round bodies and prickles will help your laundry dry faster by separating it. Popular Science, 3 Jan. 2020
Verb
Long gun barrels followed them at military checkpoints, prickling them with fear. Rozina Ali, New York Times, 28 Feb. 2024 Symptoms can include cold skin and a prickling feeling; red, white, bluish-white or grayish yellow skin; numbness; and hard or waxy-looking skin. Tim Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 28 Jan. 2024 There can also be discomfort, prickling or an itching sensation at the site of the bite or scratch. Aliza Chasan, CBS News, 23 Jan. 2024 It's made from organically sourced down and wrapped in a 100% cotton shell, which minimizes the possibility of sharp feather tips prickling you. Samantha Jones, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Jan. 2024 While Ek’s words may have prickled Spotify’s outgoing employees, his ruthless move has won over investors. Ryan Hogg, Fortune Europe, 6 Dec. 2023 At a family reunion at a restaurant in Spain, Herzog becomes aware of smoke, and of a slight prickling at his back. Mark O’Connell, The New York Review of Books, 24 Nov. 2022 Long-term lead exposure could include the aforementioned symptoms as well as irritability, lethargy, fatigue, muscle aches, muscle prickling, muscle burning, muscular exhaustion occasional abdominal discomfort, constipation, difficulty concentrating, tremors and weight loss. Charna Flam, Peoplemag, 16 Nov. 2023 Long-term exposures can lead to irritability, lethargy, fatigue, muscle aches or muscle prickling/burning, occasional abdominal discomfort, constipation, difficulty concentrating, muscular exhaustibility, tremor, or weight loss. Beth Mole, Ars Technica, 6 Nov. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'prickle.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English prikle, from Old English pricle; akin to Old English prica prick

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

circa 1522, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of prickle was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near prickle

Cite this Entry

“Prickle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prickle. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

prickle

1 of 2 noun
prick·​le ˈprik-əl How to pronounce prickle (audio)
1
: a small sharp point or a sharp pointed part (as a thorn on a plant) that sticks out
2
: a slight stinging or tingling sensation

prickle

2 of 2 verb
prickled; prickling ˈprik-(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce prickle (audio)
1
: to prick slightly
2
: to cause or feel a slight stinging or tingling sensation
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