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épine

thorn, spine

noun eh-PEEN Rare
Animals & Nature Plants

Origin: Latin spina, 'thorn, spine'

Usage Note

Épine refers to a thorn on a plant or a spine/prickle. L'épine dorsale ('the dorsal spine') is the anatomical term for the spinal column, making épine also a body-and-health term. The idiom tirer une épine du pied à quelqu'un ('to remove a thorn from someone's foot') means to solve a thorny problem for them.

Examples

"La rose a des épines acérées."

Natural Translation

The rose has sharp thorns.

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