star thistle

noun

1
: a widely naturalized spiny Old World knapweed (Centaurea calcitrapa) with purple flowers

called also caltrops

2
: any of various knapweeds related to the star thistle

Examples of star thistle in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web And, Coffman said, removal of invasive plant species like star thistle is also underway. The Arizona Republic, 16 Feb. 2024 For tea drinkers, there’s raspberry blossom, Virginia wildflower and star thistle. Eliza McGraw, Washington Post, 12 Sep. 2023 The staff stocks honeys from all over the country, including star thistle from Michigan and palmetto from Florida. Eliza McGraw, Washington Post, 12 Sep. 2023 That is starting to change, as consumers become more interested in such honeys as star thistle and avocado blossom. Eliza McGraw, Washington Post, 12 Sep. 2023 One of the non-alcoholic beverages showcasing a syrup made from local star thistle honey is made from a 3rd generation beekeeper nearby. Beck Bamberger, Forbes, 19 Sep. 2021 Our 10 acres of oak woodland also were just grasses and invasive species, mainly star thistle, with only a few majestic native black and white oaks. Sally Peterson, oregonlive, 26 Apr. 2021 The surrounding hills, once thick with yellow star thistle where the bees gathered pollen, were stone gray and barren from the Hennessey Fire. Nora Mishanec, SFChronicle.com, 28 Nov. 2020 At the Big Chico Creek Ecological Reserve, Hankins has researched the effect of Indigenous prescribed burning practices on an area that was dominated by star thistle and other invasive plants. Ula Chrobak, Scientific American, 24 Nov. 2020

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

Word History

First Known Use

1578, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of star thistle was in 1578

Dictionary Entries Near star thistle

Cite this Entry

“Star thistle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/star%20thistle. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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