crown of thorns

noun phrase

: a starfish (Acanthaster planci) of the Pacific region that is covered with long spines and feeds on coral polyps sometimes causing destruction of coral reefs

called also crown-of-thorns starfish

Examples of crown of thorns in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web In Catholic tradition, the Sacred Heart of Jesus is a mystical sign of the divine love of Jesus for humanity, often symbolized with an image of a human heart wrapped in a crown of thorns, like the one Jesus wore when he was crucified. Lisa Lerer, New York Times, 11 June 2024 In the shot, Lamar stands wearing a crown of thorns on his head while holding their daughter. Katie Mannion, Peoplemag, 15 Mar. 2024 In the odd moment of grace, like when a butterfly lands on Agnes’ upturned face, or the many gory acts of slaughter and execution, the imagery braids blood and beauty together as in a crown of thorns. Jessica Kiang, Variety, 20 Feb. 2024 Sprawling plumerias, a prickly pear cactus and a gorgeous crown of thorns stood next to a wrought iron fence. Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2023 From his custom Tiffany & Co. crown of thorns for a Glastonbury Festival set to his Louis Vuitton Suit by Virgil Abloh for the Super Bowl Halftime Show, the rapper knows how to make a statement with his outfits. Justin Ray, Robb Report, 6 July 2023 The faithful often act out the events of Good Friday by carrying a large wooden cross and crown of thorns symbolic of the suffering of Christ. Greg Garrison | , al, 8 Apr. 2023 Dressed in gray cloth with a black wig, a crown of thorns, and a heavy wooden cross on his shoulder, Mercado walked in sandals ahead of a group dressed as Roman soldiers as the rendition moved through the South End on Friday afternoon. Nick Stoico, BostonGlobe.com, 7 Apr. 2023 The seventh will be a crown of thorns chandelier. Diane Bell, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Apr. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'crown of thorns.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1964, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of crown of thorns was in 1964

Dictionary Entries Near crown of thorns

Cite this Entry

“Crown of thorns.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crown%20of%20thorns. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on crown of thorns

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!