catclaw

/ˈkætˌklɔ/
noun
  1. A thorny shrub or vine with curved, claw-like prickles, native to the southwestern United States and Mexico; also called cat's claw or uña de gato.
    • The hiker got scratched by a catclaw while walking through the desert.
    • Catclaw is often used in traditional medicine for its anti-inflammatory properties.
    • The rancher had to clear catclaw from the pasture because it hurt the cattle.
  2. The claw of a cat.
    • The kitten's tiny catclaw left a small scratch on my hand.
    • She trimmed her cat's catclaws to keep them from damaging the furniture.
    • A catclaw can retract when the animal is relaxed.
What does "catclaw" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean