Tribulus

noun

Trib·​u·​lus

ˈtribyələs

: a genus of chiefly tropical or subtropical herbs (family Zygophyllaceae) introduced into North America with pinnate leaves and yellow or white flowers succeeded by a spiny or prickly fruit of five indehiscent tuberculate carpels see burnut, caltrop sense 1b, puncture vine

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Latin, caltrop, from Greek tribolos, any of various prickly plants, threshing board studded with spikes; akin to Latin tribulum threshing board

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!