Nettle Definition
nĕtl
nettled, nettles, nettling
noun
nettles
Any of a genus (Urtica) of annual and perennial weeds of the nettle family with stinging hairs.
Webster's New World
Any of various other stinging or spiny plants.
Webster's New World
verb
nettled, nettles, nettling
To sting with or as with nettles.
Webster's New World
To irritate; annoy; vex.
Webster's New World
adjective
Designating a family (Urticaceae, order Urticales) of chiefly tropical, dicotyledonous plants covered typically with stinging hairs, including the ramie.
Webster's New World
Origin of Nettle
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From Middle English, from Old English netle, netele, netel from Proto-Germanic *natilǭ (cogate with Old Saxon netila, Middle Dutch netele (modern netel), German Nessel, Middle Danish nædlæ "nettle"), a diminutive of *naton (of unknown origin, perhaps from the same source as net).
From Wiktionary
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Middle English from Old English netele ned- in Indo-European roots
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
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