Illustration of thistle
plural thistles
1
: any of various composite (see composite entry 1 sense 1b) flowering plants (especially genera Carduus, Cirsium, and Onopordum) that have prickles on their leaves and sometimes on their stems and often have showy heads of tubular, usually purple flowers
also
: any of various other prickly plants
2
often thistle seed plural thistle seeds
: the small black seed of a tropical African herbaceous plant (Guizotia abyssinica) used especially as a source of oil and for bird feed
Examples of thistle in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Andreeva’s dress, in sapphire and light thistle, is the perfect blend of sporty elegance.
—
Merlisa Lawrence Corbett, Forbes.com, 23 Jan. 2026
For a real birdwatching activity, fill a seed bag with thistle and watch flocks of them dart around the feeder and feast with fervor.
—Kier Holmes, Martha Stewart, 18 Jan. 2026
For example, finches love thistle or nyjer seed in a hanging thistle sock, or a cylinder feeder with fine mesh designed to hold small seeds, says Grant.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 18 Dec. 2025
Different bird species have specific seed preferences; for example, thistle seed is favored by finches, while millet is preferred by ground-feeding birds.
—Rita Pelczar, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for thistle
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Merlisa Lawrence Corbett, Forbes.com, 23 Jan. 2026
For a real birdwatching activity, fill a seed bag with thistle and watch flocks of them dart around the feeder and feast with fervor.
—Kier Holmes, Martha Stewart, 18 Jan. 2026
For example, finches love thistle or nyjer seed in a hanging thistle sock, or a cylinder feeder with fine mesh designed to hold small seeds, says Grant.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 18 Dec. 2025
Different bird species have specific seed preferences; for example, thistle seed is favored by finches, while millet is preferred by ground-feeding birds.
—Rita Pelczar, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for thistle
Cite this Entry
“Thistle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thistle. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
thistle
noun
this·tle
ˈthis-əl 
: any of various prickly plants related to the daisies and having often showy heads of mostly tubular flowers
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