pierce vs prickle

pierce is not a noun while prickle is a noun.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
pierce	No	No	Yes	No
prickle	Yes	No	Yes	No

As verbs, prickle is a hyponym of pierce; that is, prickle is a word with a more specific, narrower meaning than pierce:

Other hyponyms of pierce include poke, puncture, riddle, prick, bite, perforate, punch, bite, prick, sting, tap.

pierce (noun)	prickle (noun)
	a small sharp-pointed tip resembling a spike on a stem or leaf

pierce (verb)	prickle (verb)
make a hole into	make a small hole into, as with a needle or a thorn
penetrate or cut through with a sharp instrument	cause a stinging or tingling sensation
cut or make a way through	cause a prickling sensation
move or affect (a person's emotions or bodily feelings) deeply or sharply
sound sharply or shrilly