CROWN OF THORNS

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does crown of thorns mean? 

• CROWN OF THORNS (noun)
  The noun CROWN OF THORNS has 3 senses:

1. any affliction that causes great suffering

2. somewhat climbing bushy spurge of Madagascar having long woody spiny stems with few leaves and flowers with scarlet bracts

3. a mock crown made of thorn branches that Roman soldiers placed on Jesus before the Crucifixion

  Familiarity information: CROWN OF THORNS used as a noun is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• CROWN OF THORNS (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Any affliction that causes great suffering

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Synonyms:

cross; crown of thorns

Context example:

he bears his afflictions like a crown of thorns

Hypernyms ("crown of thorns" is a kind of...):

affliction (a state of great suffering and distress due to adversity)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Somewhat climbing bushy spurge of Madagascar having long woody spiny stems with few leaves and flowers with scarlet bracts

Classified under:

Nouns denoting plants

Synonyms:

Christ plant; Christ thorn; crown of thorns; Euphorbia milii

Hypernyms ("crown of thorns" is a kind of...):

spurge (any of numerous plants of the genus Euphorbia; usually having milky often poisonous juice)

Holonyms ("crown of thorns" is a member of...):

Euphorbia; genus Euphorbia (type genus of the Euphorbiaceae: very large genus of diverse plants all having milky juice)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A mock crown made of thorn branches that Roman soldiers placed on Jesus before the Crucifixion

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("crown of thorns" is a kind of...):

crown; diadem (an ornamental jeweled headdress signifying sovereignty)