a. [ad. mod.L. spīnescent-, -ens, pres. pple. of L. spīnescere to grow thorny, f. spīna SPINE sb.1 So F. spinescent.]

1

  1.  Bot. Developing into, or terminating in, a spine or thorn; also, bearing or covered with spines; spiniferous.

2

1793.  Martyn, Lang. Bot., Spinescens, spinescent, becoming hard and thorny.

3

1841.  Florist’s Jrnl. (1846), II. 213. The calyx is small and entire, with five spinescent teeth.

4

1876.  Harley, Royle’s Mat. Med., 666. A shrub with squamose spinescent branches.

5

  2.  Zool. Tending to become a spine or spinous process; spinous, spinulous.

6

1856–8.  W. Clark, Van der Hoeven’s Zool., II. 526. Feathers of back and rump rigid, often spinescent.

7

1894.  [see SPINESCENCE].

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