cactus

American  

[kak-tuhs] / ˈkæk təs /

noun

PLURAL

cacti, cactuses, cactus

1. any of numerous succulent plants of the family Cactaceae, of warm, arid regions of the New World, having fleshy, leafless, usually spiny stems, and typically having solitary, showy flowers.

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cactus British  

/ kækˈteɪʃəs, ˈkæktəs /

noun

1. any spiny succulent plant of the family Cactaceae of the arid regions of America. Cactuses have swollen tough stems, leaves reduced to spines or scales, and often large brightly coloured flowers

2. a double-flowered variety of dahlia

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Usage

Plural word for cactus The plural form of cactus can be either cacti, cactuses, or cactus. Cacti is most commonly used. Like many words derived from Latin, it is pluralized by replacing the -us ending with -i, as in fungus/fungi and nucleus/nuclei. However, the plural form cactuses, created by adding the typical -es to the end, is also correct. This alternative plural form is also acceptable for some other Latin-derived or related terms, as in focus/foci/focuses and radius/radii/radiuses.

Other Word Forms

• cactaceous adjective
• cactoid adjective
• cactuslike adjective

Etymology

Origin of cactus

1600–10; < Latin < Greek káktos cardoon

Example Sentences

In announcing Gramma’s death, the zoo posted video of her munching on vegetarian meals — romaine lettuce and cactus fruit were particular favorites — and meandering around her habitat and lazily plodding through a pond.

From Los Angeles Times

The “paper tree” promised to supply the booming demand for “California cactus paper.”

From Los Angeles Times

Elsewhere, a noble is a fair dinkum, while the death of an important character is announced by "he's cactus".

From BBC

A spider can flick off irritating hairs from the backside of its abdomen, which feel like fiberglass or minute cactus spines.

From Los Angeles Times

Finally, in the foreground, an eagle flies across a rock’s shadow and, on the left, a cactus.

From The Wall Street Journal