1. covered with or having spines, prickles, or spiny projections; spiny or prickly in appearance
Usage: chiefly botanical and zoological; formal or technical

Examples

• The echinate surface of the sea urchin provides protection from predators.
• Botanists examined the echinate leaves of the thistle plant under magnification.
• The echinate seed pods burst open to disperse their contents.
• Under the microscope, the echinate structure of the pollen grain became visible.
• The echinate spines of the cactus help it conserve water in the desert.