spinous

/ˈspaɪnəs/
adjective
  1. Covered with or having spines; thorny.
    • The spinous leaves of the holly plant are sharp to the touch.
    • The hedgehog's spinous back protects it from predators.
    • A spinous sea urchin can be dangerous to step on.
  2. Difficult, complicated, or likely to cause disagreement.
    • The spinous issue of taxes divided the committee.
    • He avoided the spinous topic of politics at dinner.
    • The negotiations became spinous when both sides refused to compromise.
Antonyms
What does "spinous" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean