Russian thistle

noun

: a prickly European saltwort (Kali tragus synonym Salsola kali) that is a serious weed in North America

called also Russian tumbleweed

Examples of Russian thistle in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
In a matter of days, the baseball field could be covered in an ocean of prickly Russian thistle tumbleweeds. Emilie Ikeda, NBC News, 29 Oct. 2024 Other common allergens in Phoenix include: Russian thistle (tumbleweed). Dina Kaur, The Arizona Republic, 18 Mar. 2024 Other Arizona plants that cause symptoms include Russian thistle (more commonly known as tumbleweed), mesquite, burrobrush, cocklebur and Arizona ash. Michael Salerno, The Arizona Republic, 16 Feb. 2023 Many of the plants are invasive, such as tamarisk and Russian thistle, but there are plenty of native willows coming back, along with 2-foot-high cottonwood seedlings, that will soon provide crucial habitat for songbirds. Brian Maffly, The Salt Lake Tribune, 20 June 2021 In the American southwest — Gornish’s territory — the worst invasive plant is the Russian thistle. Jeanne Erdmann, Discover Magazine, 20 May 2020

Word History

First Known Use

1884, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Russian thistle was in 1884

Dictionary Entries Near Russian thistle

Cite this Entry

“Russian thistle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Russian%20thistle. Accessed 14 Nov. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!