Definition

Describing a plant or shrub that does not have any sharp points or spines on its stems or branches.

Example

The gardener chose thornless roses for the flowerbed to make it safer for children to play nearby.

Conversation

I just bought a new rose bush for my garden.

Nice! Is it thornless?

Yes, I wanted something beautiful without the pain of thorns.

That sounds perfect! Thornless roses are so much easier to handle.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Thornless → It is formed from "thorn" (from Old English *þorn*, meaning a sharp, pointed growth on a plant) and "-less" (meaning without). The word "thornless" describes a plant that does not have thorns.

Memory Tip

Think of a plant that is 'without' ('-less') sharp points ('thorn') — that's why thornless means it has no thorns.

Visually Confused Words