sticker burr
A prickly seed head that latches onto socks, jeans, and dog fur.
Also called sticker bur, stickaburr, sandbur.
Updated September 24, 2026
sticker burr pronunciation
/STIK-er bur/
Meaning
A sticker burr is any of those little hitchhiking burs from sandburs, cockleburs, and similar weeds. Country kids learn the word the hard way, barefoot in tall grass or after a walk through a pasture. You pick them off your pants before you sit in the truck, or you pay for it later.
How folks use it
- “I got sticker burrs all up my socks walking the fence line.”
- “Don't let that dog in till you pull the sticker burrs out of his coat.”
Origin and etymology
Plain compound of sticker (something that sticks or pokes) and burr (a clinging seed head). Common across the rural South and Southwest, where sandburs and cockleburs thrive in sandy yards and roadside fill. Texas talk often shortens it to sticker bur. Same plant trouble, just said the country way.
Frequently asked questions
Is a sticker burr the same as a cocklebur?
Sometimes. Cockleburs are one kind. Folks also use sticker burr for sandburs and other clingy seed heads.