prickly ash

noun

: a prickly aromatic North American shrub or small tree (Zanthoxylum americanum) of the rue family with yellowish flowers

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web Fittingly, the fragrance starts out with a blast of Sichuan pepper, the misnomer spice that has no relation to peppercorns but is instead a berry of the prickly ash tree. Janelle Okwodu, Vogue, 19 Apr. 2022 Fragrant, with a hint of citrus, the reddish-pink berries of the prickly ash tree numb the lips upon impact. Tribune News Service, cleveland, 13 Dec. 2021 Delicate prickly ash leaves, shiso flowers and nasturtium decorated the plates. Soleil Ho, San Francisco Chronicle, 1 Nov. 2021 The shrimp one made for a super-light and slightly crunchy dumpling, while the mala pork ones left a pleasant tingle on the lips after slurping the prickly ash-laced broth. Soleil Ho, SFChronicle.com, 5 Nov. 2020 After weeks of , the more iron-stomached among China’s diners craved a proper Sichuan-style hot pot, with fiery chile peppers and mouth-numbing prickly ash pods bobbing across a cauldron of red broth. Eva Dou, Washington Post, 16 Apr. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'prickly ash.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Word History

First Known Use

1821, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of prickly ash was in 1821

Dictionary Entries Near prickly ash

Cite this Entry

“Prickly ash.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prickly%20ash. Accessed 27 Mar. 2023.

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