əˈkan(t)thəs noun
Etymology: New Latin, from Greek akanthos ( Acanthus mollis, Acanthus spinosus ), from akantha thorn — more at acantha
1.
a. capitalized : a genus of prickly herbs (family Acanthaceae) of the Mediterranean region that have spiny-bracted flowers
b. plural acanthuses -n(t)thəsə̇z also acan·thi -nˌthī, -ˌthē : any plant of the genus Acanthus
2. plural acanthuses also acanthi : a usually sculptured ornamentation representing or suggesting the leaves of the acanthus (as in a Corinthian capital)
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acanthus 2
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