A small, pointed, needle-like structure, especially a sting or prickle on a plant or animal.
From Latin 'aculeus,' meaning needle or sting, derived from 'acus' (needle). The root 'acus' possibly comes from Proto-Indo-European '*ak-' meaning sharp or pointed. In ancient times, Romans used this word for both literal bee stings and the spines of sea urchins, as they resembled needles.
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