Meaning
7 senses(not comparable, usually)Of a plant: producing spikes (“ears (as of corn); inflorescences in which sessile flowers are arranged on unbranched elongated axes”).
(comparable, not comparable, usually)Of a plant part: resembling a spike of a plant (see above).
Having one or more spikes; spiny.
stachelig, stachlig
having or as if having especially high-pitched spots
Resembling spikes: erect and having sharp points; spikelike.
(figuratively)Of a person or their nature: difficult to deal with; abrasive, hostile, unfriendly.
a spiky personality
(figuratively)Of a thing: not smooth; rough, sharp.
(derogatory, figuratively, slang)Excessively high church (“practising a formal style of liturgy and emphasizing continuity with Catholicism”).
Examples
6 sentencesZiri's ivy has big spiky leaves.
The leaves of this ivy are very spiky.
Tom has spiky hair.
deTom hat stachelige Haare. — brauchinet
Tom has spiky blond hair.
Ziri's ivy has spiky leaves.
Translations
5 languagesBy meaning 1
Origin
From spike (“kind of inflorescence in which sessile flowers are arranged on an unbranchedFrom spike (“kind of inflorescence in which sessile flowers are arranged on an unbranched elongated axis”) + -y (suffix forming adjectives with the sense “having the quality of”). Spike is derived from Middle English spik, spike (“ear of grain; clove of garlic; plant having spikes; plant of the genus Valeriana, especially Valeriana officinalis; plant of the genus Lavandula, lavender”), from Latin spīca (“ear, head, or spike of grain; plant spike”) (feminine) (also rarely spīcum (neuter) and spīcus (masculine)), possibly ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *spey- (“long; sharp; thin”).
From spike (“piece of pointed metal, etc.”) + -y (suffix forming adjectives with the sense “having the quality of”). Spike is derived from Middle English spik, spike (“large metal (usually iron) nail; thing shaped like such a nail”); further etymology uncertain, possibly from Middle Dutch spiker (“large nail”), Middle Low German spiker (“large nail”), or Old Norse spík (“spike; sprig”), all possibly from Latin spīca (“ear, head, or spike of grain; plant spike”) (see further at etymology 1), or from Proto-Germanic *spīkō (“large nail, spike”), both ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *spey- (“long; sharp; thin”).
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Forms
spikier/more spiky, spikiest/most spiky| Comparative | spikier / more spiky Lesson |
|---|---|
| Superlative | spikiest / most spiky Lesson |
regular
Synonyms
3 synonymsWord family
5 related wordsLessons for this word
2 lessons- A2Comparatives — Because it has a comparative form
- A2Superlatives — Because it has a superlative form