What does nettle mean?
A nettle is a green, vigorous plant whose leaves and stems are covered with tiny stinging hairs. Contact with those hairs can produce an immediate burning sensation and an itchy rash, although the discomfort is usually temporary. The word can also be used as a verb: to nettle someone is to annoy or provoke them, often through persistent comments or actions. In this figurative use, the plant's defensive sting provides a useful image of irritation that is sharp but not necessarily physically harmful. Nettles frequently grow in patches along paths, fields, and riverbanks, and they have long been valued both as a troublesome weed and as a plant associated with medicinal and textile traditions. The word is common in both British and American English, with 'nettle' referring to the plant and 'to nettle' describing a person who is repeatedly provoked or irritated.
A plant of the Urtica genus, especially the common nettle, bearing small stinging hairs that can irritate the skin.
"She pulled on her boots before crossing the patch of nettles."
The term can also refer to other plants with similar stinging hairs, depending on context.
To annoy, irritate, or provoke someone, especially repeatedly or in a subtle way.
"The constant criticism began to nettle him."
This use is often figurative and can suggest a growing irritation rather than a single moment of anger.
The regular plural is 'nettles'.
"Nettles grew along the damp edge of the field."
A nettle delivers its lesson without saying a word: touch it carelessly and you will remember the experience.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does nettle come from?
The word comes through Old English 'netle', which was borrowed from Latin 'nettula', a diminutive associated with Indo-European roots for 'needle' or 'stinging hair'. The Old English form developed into the modern English plant noun, while the verb meaning 'to irritate' arose later by analogy with the plant's stinging hairs. The pronunciation remains relatively stable, although the final syllable is commonly reduced in everyday speech.
Related word forms
How nettle is actually used
As a verb, 'nettle' is often used when someone is repeatedly or subtly annoyed, and it can imply a sharper, more persistent irritation than 'annoy'. The noun is common in British and American English.
Easily confused with nettle
Nettle, pronounced /ˈnɛtəl/, is a stinging plant or a verb meaning to irritate, whereas metal, pronounced /ˈmɛtəl/, is a solid element such as iron or copper.