caltrop

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Pronunciation

• (America) enPR: kăl'trəp, IPA: /ˈkæltɹəp/
• (British) enPR: kôl'trəp, IPA: /ˈkɔːltɹəp/

Noun

caltrop (plural caltrops)

1. (weaponry) A small, metal object with spikes arranged so that, when thrown onto the ground, one always faces up as a threat to pedestrians, horses, and vehicles.
   • 1858, The journal of the British Archaeological Association

     […] her father, the emperor Alexius, who reigned AD 1081-1118, ordered caltrops to be cast in front of his archers […]

   • 1954, Joseph Needham, Ling Wang, Science and civilisation in China

     By Sung times, several different types of caltrops had been developed. As in earlier times, both caltrops could be made from both wood and iron...

2. (heraldry) The same object represented as a heraldic charge.
3. (colloquial) The starthistle, Centaurea calcitrapa, a plant with sharp thorns.
4. Any of a number of flowering plants in the family Zygophyllaceae, including several members of the genus Kallstroemia and the species Tribulus terrestris, native to warm temperate and tropical regions.

Synonyms

• (weaponry) caltrap, galtrop, cheval trap, galthrap, galtrap, calthrop, crow’s foot
• (starthistle) knapweed
• (Tribulus terrestris) puncturevine, cat's head, yellow vine, goathead, burra, gokharu, bindii.

Translations

• French: chausse-trape, pied de corbeau
• German: Krähenfuß, Fußangel
• Italian: tribolo, piede di corvo
• Portuguese: abrolho, estrepe, miguelito (modern)
• Russian: чесно́к
• Spanish: abrojo

Translations

• French: centaurée chausse-trape, chardon étoilé
• Portuguese: abrolho
• Russian: василёк колючеголо́вый
• Spanish: encojaperros, garbanzo del cura

Translations

• French: tribule terrestre
• Italian: tribulo comune
• Portuguese: abrolho
• Russian: я́корец сте́лющийся
• Spanish: abrojo terrestre, cadillo, cuerno de chivo, tribulo, cruz maltesa

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