From Middle English thorny, þorny, þorni, from Old English þorniġ, from Proto-West Germanic *þornag.

• (RP) IPA: /ˈθɔːni/
• (America) IPA: /ˈθɔɹni/

thorny (comparative thornier, superlative thorniest)

1. Having thorns or spines

   Synonyms: prickly, spiny

2. (figuratively) Troublesome or vexatious
   • c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC ↗, [Act I, scene iii]:

     the steep and thorny way to heaven

3. Aloof and irritable

• French: épineux
• German: dornig
• Italian: spinoso
• Portuguese: espinhento, espinhoso
• Russian: колю́чий
• Spanish: espinoso, espinudo (Argentina)

• French: épineux
• German: dornig, schwierig, problematisch
• Italian: spinoso
• Portuguese: espinhoso
• Russian: терни́стый
• Spanish: espinoso, espinudo (colloquial), peliagudo