camel thorn

noun

variants or less commonly camel's thorn
1
a
: a low spiny shrub (Alhagi camelorum) of the Arabian desert that yields manna
b
: a related shrub (A. maurorum)
2
: an East Indian spiny shrub (Zizyphus nummularius) used as fodder for sheep and goats
3
: any of several southern African acacias
especially : a browse plant (Acacia giraffae) of the veld

Word History

Etymology

so called from the use of its seed as feed for camels

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Dictionary Entries Near camel thorn

camelteer

camel thorn

Camelus

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Camel thorn.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/camel%20thorn. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.

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