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What does nettle mean?

Looking for the meaning or definition of the word nettle? Here's what it means.

Noun
  1. Any plant whose foliage is covered with stinging, mildly poisonous hairs, causing an instant rash.
    1. Especially, most species of herb genus Urtica, the stinging nettles:
    2. Wood nettle (Laportea canadensis);
    3. Bull nettles and spurge nettles of genus Cnidoscolus:
    4. rock nettle (Eucnide);
    5. small-leaved nettle (Dendrocnide photinophylla).
  2. Certain plants that have spines or prickles:
    1. ball nettle (Solanum carolinense);
    2. Solanum elaeagnifolium, bull nettle, silver-leaf nettle, white horse-nettle;
    3. Solanum dimidiatum, western horse-nettle, robust horse-nettle;
    4. Solanum rostratum, horse-nettle;
    5. Celtis.
  3. Certain non-stinging plants, mostly in the family Lamiaceae, that resemble the species of Urtica:
    1. dead nettle, dumb nettle (Lamium), particularly Lamium album, white nettle;
    2. false nettle (Boehmeria, family Urticaceae);
    3. flame nettle or painted nettle (Coleus);
    4. hedge nettle (Stachys);
    5. hemp nettle (Galeopsis);
    6. horse nettle Agastache urticifolia,
    7. nilgiri nettle, Himalayan giant nettle (Girardinia diversifolia, family Urticaceae).
  4. Loosely, anything which causes a similarly stinging rash, such as a jellyfish or sea nettle.
Verb
  1. (transitive) Of the nettle plant and similar physical causes, to sting, causing a rash in someone.
  2. (transitive, figuratively) To pique, irritate, vex or provoke.
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