What is the origin of 'sleep tight'?
Read moreOne of the mysteries of the English language finally explained.
Any plant of the genus Acanthus or (more widely) the family Acanthaceae.
Mid 17th century; earliest use found in Balthazar Gerbier (1592–?1667), art agent, miniature painter, and architect. From French acanthe and its etymon classical Latin acanthus acanthus.