caltrop Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun tropical annual procumbent poisonous subshrub having fruit that splits into five spiny nutlets; serious pasture weed
    devil's weed; Tribulus terestris.
  2. noun a plant of the genus Trapa bearing spiny four-pronged edible nutlike fruits
    water chestnut plant; water chestnut.
  3. noun Mediterranean annual or biennial herb having pinkish to purple flowers surrounded by spine-tipped scales; naturalized in America
    Centauria calcitrapa; star-thistle.

WordNet

Cal"trop, Cal"trap noun (Also<
  • Caltrop
  • Caltrap
)
Etymology
OE. calketrappe, calletrappe, caltor (in both senses), fr. AS. collræppe, calcetreppe, sort of thistle; cf. F. chaussetrape star thistle, trap, It. calcatreppo, calcatreppolo, star thistle. Perh. from L. calx heel + the same word as E. trap. See 1st Trap.
Definitions
  1. (Bot.) A genus of herbaceous plants (Tribulus) of the order Zygophylleæ, having a hard several-celled fruit, armed with stout spines, and resembling the military instrument of the same name. The species grow in warm countries, and are often very annoying to cattle.
  2. (Mil.) An instrument with four iron points, so disposed that, any three of them being on the ground, the other projects upward. They are scattered on the ground where an enemy's cavalry are to pass, to impede their progress by endangering the horses' feet.

Webster 1913