Lewis & Short

Parsing inflected forms may not always work as expected. If the following does not give the correct word, try Latin Words or Perseus.

trĭbŭlus (trĭbŏl-), i, m., = τρίβολος, an instrument resting on three of its iron prongs, while a fourth projected upward, thrown on the ground to impede an enemy’s cavalry, a caltrop.

  1. I. Lit.: tribulos abjecerunt, Veg. Mil. 3, 24.
  2. II. Transf., from its resemblance in form.
    1. A. A kind of thorn or thistle, land-caltrops: Tribulus terrestris, Linn.; Verg. G. 1, 153; Ov. M. 13, 803; Plin. 21, 15, 54, § 91: spinae et tribuli, Vulg. Gen. 3, 18.
    2. B. A kind of water-plant bearing a prickly nut of a triangular form, water-chestnut, water-caltrops: Trapa natans, Linn.; Plin. 21, 16, 58, § 98.