teasel

1 of 2

noun

tea·​sel ˈtē-zəl How to pronounce teasel (audio)
1
a
: an Old World prickly herb (Dipsacus fullonum of the family Caprifoliaceae, the honeysuckle family) with flower heads that are covered with stiff hooked bracts and were used especially formerly in the woolen industry

called also fuller's teasel

b
: a plant of the same genus as the teasel
2
a
: a flower head of the fuller's teasel used when dried to raise a nap on woolen cloth
b
: a wire substitute for the teasel

Illustration of teasel

Illustration of teasel
  • teasel 1a

teasel

2 of 2

verb

teaseled or teaselled; teaseling or teaselling
ˈtēz-liŋ,
ˈtē-zə- How to pronounce teasel (audio)

transitive verb

: to nap (cloth) with teasels

Examples of teasel in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Tall, woody wildflowers like goldenrod, ironweed, teasel, mullein and the like can produce embers in seconds. Bradley Duncan, Discover Magazine, 25 Dec. 2023 The dill, the fuller’s teasel, lotus, a few other plants are green and blooming. Owen Thomas, The Christian Science Monitor, 6 Apr. 2021 One of those, teasel, has taken over open hillsides on the east bank of the river south of W. Cleveland Ave. Don Behm, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 7 May 2018 Some Indian tailors who make expensive clothing use cashmere refined by an Irish mill, the last one in the world apparently, and use teasel for that purpose. Margaret Lauterbach, idahostatesman, 31 May 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'teasel.' 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 tesel, from Old English tǣsel; akin to Old English tǣsan to tease

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1543, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of teasel was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near teasel

Cite this Entry

“Teasel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/teasel. Accessed 12 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

teasel

noun
tea·​sel
ˈtē-zəl
: an Old World prickly herb with flower heads covered with stiff hooked bracts

More from Merriam-Webster on teasel

Last Updated: - Definition revised
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!