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# spiky

«spiky» in Mova's school dictionary: **Something spiky has many sharp points sticking out: a…** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 1 sentence of Mova's corpora that use it.

### part of speech

adjective (spiky, spikier, spikiest); noun spikiness

### meaning for a pupil

1) Something spiky has many sharp points sticking out: a spiky cactus, a spiky shell. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spiky/#m1)

2) Spiky hair is stiff and sticks up in points. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spiky/#m2)

3) (informal) A spiky person is easily annoyed and unfriendly. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spiky/#m3)

### sense in the lessons

In science lessons spiky plants and animals (hedgehogs, cacti, sea urchins) use spikes to protect themselves; in safety lessons spiky things can hurt you. In stories it describes looks and moods. Phrases: spiky hair, a spiky ball, spiky leaves.

### examples

- Hedgehogs have spiky backs. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spiky/#x1)
- Don't touch the cactus, it's very spiky. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spiky/#x2)
- He used gel to make his hair spiky. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spiky/#x3)
- The conker case is green and spiky. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spiky/#x4)
- A spiky shape has lots of points, like a star. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spiky/#x5)
- Grandpa gets a bit spiky when he is tired. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spiky/#x6)
- The sea urchin is the spikiest thing in the rock pool. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spiky/#x7)

### note

Comparative: spikier, spikiest. From «spike» (a sharp point) + «-y». Similar words: prickly (with small sharp points), pointy, sharp. «Prickly» also means easily annoyed.

### In the corpora

- [Then you spot black spiky caterpillars on those same nettles, the babies of peacock and red admiral butterflies.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/biology/340-weeds-and-wildflowers-dandelions-nettles-daisies-clover-and-plantain/3/)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «spiky» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spiky/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.