blackthorn

noun

black·​thorn ˈblak-ˌthȯrn How to pronounce blackthorn (audio)
: a European spiny plum (Prunus spinosa) with hard wood and small white flowers

Examples of blackthorn in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Thorny scrub — hawthorn, blackthorn, dog rose and bramble — punched through fields that, only a few years earlier, were maize and barley as far as the eye could see. — Isabella Tree, Time, 3 Oct. 2019 Hedges, mostly hawthorn and blackthorn, are a distinctive feature of the British countryside. — Sam Knight, The New Yorker, 10 Feb. 2020

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of blackthorn was in the 14th century

Rhymes for blackthorn

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black tern
blackthorn
blackthorn winter
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Cite this Entry

“Blackthorn.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/blackthorn. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

blackthorn

noun
black·​thorn -ˌthȯrn How to pronounce blackthorn (audio)
: a European spiny plum with hard wood and small white flowers

More from Merriam-Webster on blackthorn

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about blackthorn

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