A pricker is something that pricks or pokes with a sharp point. Most commonly, it refers to thorns on plants like roses or blackberry bushes. When you're picking berries in the summer, the prickers on the stems might scratch your arms if you're not careful. Gardeners often wear thick gloves to protect their hands from prickers when pruning rose bushes.

The word can also describe any small, sharp object that jabs or punctures. A tiny splinter working its way out of your finger might be called a pricker. Some people use the word for the sharp quills on a porcupine or the spines on a cactus, though these have their own specific names too.

You might hear someone say “Watch out for the prickers!” when walking through brambles or tall grass where thorny plants grow. The word captures that quick, stinging sensation of being poked by something sharp. Unlike a needle or pin, which are tools designed for a purpose, prickers are usually natural defenses that plants have developed to protect themselves from being eaten by animals.