a. a thorn bramble-bush, brier: Matthew 7:16; Luke 6:44; Hebrews 6:8; εἰς τάς ἀκάνθας i. e. among the seeds of thorns, Matthew 13:22; Mark 4:7 (L margin: ἐπί), 18 (Tdf. ἐπί); Luke 8:14 (Luke 8:7 ἐν μέσῳ τῶν ἀκανθῶν); ἐπί τάς ἀκάνθας, i. e. upon ground in which seeds of thorns were lying hidden, Matthew 13:7.

b. a thorny plant: στέφανον ἐξ ἀκανθῶν, Matthew 27:29; John 19:2 — for bare thorns might have caused delirium or even death; what species of plant is referred to, is not clear. Some boldly read ἀκανθῶν, from ἄκανθος, acanthus, bear's foot; but the meaning of ἄκανθα is somewhat comprehensive even in secular writings cf. the classical Greek Lexicons under the word (On the see BB. DD. under the word, and for references McClintock and Strong's Cyclopaedia.)