caltrop
/ˈkæltɹəp/
Word Rarity
Very rare
Frequency: 1.26 in modern English
11
Scrabble Score
7
Letters
2
Syllables
7
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
A metal object, usually small, with spikes arranged so that, when thrown onto the ground, one always faces up as a threat to pedestrians, horses, and vehicles (also used as a heraldic charge).
noun
Any of a number of flowering plants in the family Zygophyllaceae, including several members of the genus Kallstroemia and the species Tribulus terrestris, native to warm temperate and tropical regions.
Example Sentences
- "[…] her father, the emperor Alexius, who reigned AD 1081-1118, ordered caltrops to be cast in front of his archers […]"
- "By Sung times, several different types of caltrops had been developed. As in earlier times, both caltrops could be made from both wood and iron..."
- "Caltrops, tetrahedrons, and similar devices are designed to puncture vehicle tires or limit foot traffic. The standard design has four points."
Etymology
From Middle English calketrappe, from Old English calcatrippe, from Medieval Latin calcatrippa (“thistle”), from Latin calx or calcare (“to tread”) + trappa (“trap”).
Origin
Word Breakdown
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈkæltɹəp/
- British English: /ˈkaltɹəp/
Usage
Inflected Forms
Phrases
Frequently Paired Words
Synonyms
crow's foot
crowfoot
jackrock
cheval trap
knapweed
star-thistle
centauria calcitrapa
centaurea calcitrapa