noun
nettle
NEH-tuhl
noun
1
A plant covered in tiny stinging hairs that cause an itchy rash when touched.
"He brushed against a nettle and his arm broke out in red bumps."
verb
1
To irritate or annoy someone.
"Her offhand comment nettled him more than he expected."
How to Use Nettle
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA stinging weed, or (as a verb) to irritate someone mildly.
Common pairings
stinging nettle
nettle rash
nettled by the remark
Word Forms
nettled past tense, nettles plural, nettles singular
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He brushed against a _____ and his arm broke out in red bumps.
Etymology
From Old English netele, of Germanic origin, from the same root family as "net."