ἄκανθ-α [ᾰκ], ης, ἡ,
(ἀκή A) thorn, prickle, [[ 4th c.BC: Aristoteles Philosophus “de Partibus Animalium” 655a19, 4th-3rd c.BC: Theophrastus Philosophus “Historia Plantarum” 6.1.3: hence, ] Refs 4th c.BC+]
__1 any thorny or prickly plant (in [[ 8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 5.328 (_plural_)] Refs 8th c.BC+] probably Eryngium campestre), [[ 5th c.BC: Sophocles Tragicus “Fragmenta” 718, 4th c.BC: Eubulus Comicus 107.19, 3rd c.BC: Theocritus Poeta Bucolicus 1.132, etc.: proverbial, οὐ γὰρ ἄκανθαι] Refs 5th c.BC+] no thistles, i.e. 'an easy job', [[ 5th-6th c.BC: Aristophanes Comicus “Fragmenta” 272, 483:] Refs 5th c.BC+] —special kinds: ἄ. Ἀραβική smaller milk-thistle, Notobasis syriaca, [[ 1st c.AD: Dioscorides (Dioscurides) Medicus 3.13] Refs 1st c.AD+]; ἄ. βασιλική fish-thistle, Cnicus Acarna, [[ 4th-3rd c.BC: Theophrastus Philosophus “de Causis Plantarum” 1.10.5] Refs 4th c.BC+]; ἄ. Ἰνδική, = Balsamodendron Mukul, [[ [prev. author] “HP” 9.1.2] Refs]; ἄ. λευκή Acacia albida, [[[prev. work] 4.2.8] Refs]; ={ἄ. βασιλική}, [[ 1st c.AD: Dioscorides (Dioscurides) Medicus 3.12] Refs 1st c.AD+]; ἄ. λευκὴ τρίοζος, = Euphorbia antiquorum, [[ 4th-3rd c.BC: Theophrastus Philosophus “Historia Plantarum” 4.4.12] Refs 4th c.BC+]; ἄ. ἀκανώδης (probably) cornthistle, Carduus arvensis, [[[prev. work] 10.6. ] Refs]
__2 of other plants, e.g. Spanish broom, Spartium junceum, [[ 1st c.BC-1st c.AD: Strabo Geographus 3.5.10:— ={ἀκακία, ἄ. Αἰγυπτία}, 4th-3rd c.BC: Theophrastus Philosophus “Historia Plantarum” 9.1.2. compare “POxy.” 1188.10 (13 4th-5th c.BC: Aeschylus Tragicus 4th c.BC: Demosthenes Orator), etc.] Refs 4th c.BC+]; ἄ. μέλαινα Acacia arabica, [[ 4th-3rd c.BC: Theophrastus Philosophus “Historia Plantarum” 4.2.8, compare 5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 2.96, 2nd c.AD(?): Theodotion LXX.Isa.41.19] LXX+5th c.BC+]; ἄ. διψάς, = Acacia tortilis, [[ 4th-3rd c.BC: Theophrastus Philosophus “Historia Plantarum” 4.7.1. ] Refs 4th c.BC+]