teasel

1 of 2

noun

tea·​sel ˈtē-zəl 

1

a

: an Old World prickly herb (Dipsacus fullonum of the family Caprifoliaceae, the honeysuckle family) with flower heads that are covered with stiff hooked bracts and were used especially formerly in the woolen industry

called also fuller's teasel

b

: a plant of the same genus as the teasel

2

a

: a flower head of the fuller's teasel used when dried to raise a nap on woolen cloth

b

: a wire substitute for the teasel

Illustration of teasel

• teasel 1a

teasel

2 of 2

verb

teaseled or teaselled; teaseling or teaselling

ˈtēz-liŋ,

ˈtē-zə- 

transitive verb

: to nap (cloth) with teasels

Examples of teasel in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Tall, woody wildflowers like goldenrod, ironweed, teasel, mullein and the like can produce embers in seconds. —Bradley Duncan, Discover Magazine, 25 Dec. 2023

The dill, the fuller’s teasel, lotus, a few other plants are green and blooming. —Owen Thomas, The Christian Science Monitor, 6 Apr. 2021

One of those, teasel, has taken over open hillsides on the east bank of the river south of W. Cleveland Ave. —Don Behm, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 7 May 2018

Some Indian tailors who make expensive clothing use cashmere refined by an Irish mill, the last one in the world apparently, and use teasel for that purpose. —Margaret Lauterbach, idahostatesman, 31 May 2017

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English tesel, from Old English tǣsel; akin to Old English tǣsan to tease

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1543, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing teasel

• fuller's teasel

Kids Definition

teasel

noun

tea·​sel

ˈtē-zəl

: an Old World prickly herb with flower heads covered with stiff hooked bracts