succulent

American  

[suhk-yuh-luhnt] / ˈsʌk jə lənt /

adjective

1. full of juice; juicy.

2. rich in desirable qualities.

3. affording mental nourishment.

4. (of a plant) having fleshy and juicy tissues.

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noun

succulents plural

1. a succulent plant, as a sedum or cactus.

succulent British  

/ ˈsʌkjʊlənt /

adjective

1. abundant in juices; juicy

2. (of plants) having thick fleshy leaves or stems

3. informal stimulating interest, desire, etc

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noun

1. a plant that is able to exist in arid or salty conditions by using water stored in its fleshy tissues

succulent Scientific  

/ sŭk′yə-lənt /

1. Any of various plants having fleshy leaves or stems that store water. Cacti and the jade plant are succulents. Succulents are usually adapted to drier environments and display other characteristics that reduce water loss, such as waxy coatings on leaves and stems, fewer stomata than occur on other plants, and stout, rounded stems that minimize surface area.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• succulence
  noun
• succulency
  noun
• unsucculent
  adjective
• succulently
  adverb
• unsucculently
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• succulents
  plural

Etymology

Origin of succulent

1595–1605; < Late Latin sūculentus, equivalent to Latin sūc ( us ), succus juice + -ulentus -ulent

Explanation

Succulent means "juicy" and is often used to describe food. Think a succulent piece of meat, or berries so succulent you’re left sucking juice off your fingertips when you eat them. You can think of the word suck as hiding inside succulent––an orange you could pierce with a straw and suck the juice out of is succulent indeed. Or remember Desert Survival 101––find a cactus, an aloe, or another of the water-retaining plants known as succulents and drink from them.

Example Sentences

Succulent shrimp wrapped in a scant blanket of starch that would bring him back to Havana.

From Salon • Jul. 12, 2025

Many of the world's succulent species are only found in the Succulent Karoo desert, which spans South Africa and Namibia.

From BBC • Dec. 25, 2024

Succulent varieties that require more direct light will become etiolated and lose color without it.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 30, 2022

Price: $19.99 Amazon Lego Succulent Set Sometimes even the least demanding plants need just too much attention.

From The Verge • May 6, 2022

There is a large plant of this in the Succulent House at Kew which flowers almost annually, but it has never ripened fruits.

From Cactus Culture for Amateurs Being Descriptions of the Various Cactuses Grown in This Country, With Full and Practical Instructions for Their Successful Cultivation by Watson, W.

Related Words

• luscious
• moist
• tasty
• yummy