bisnaga

or biz·na·ga

[ bis-nah-guh ]

noun

1. any of several thorny cactuses of the genera Echinocactus, Ferocactus, and Astrophytum of the southwestern U.S.

Word History and Origins

Origin of bisnaga¹

1835–45, Americanism; < Mexican Spanish biznaga, (probably by association with biznaga parsnip) replacing earlier vitznauac < Nahuatl huitznāhuac, equivalent to huitz ( tli ) thorn + -nāhua- vicinity + -c ( o ) locative suffix

Example Sentences

He was galloping along at a fair speed when he saw immediately in front of him a couple of bad patches of low bisnaga cactus.

From Project Gutenberg

A welcome plant to the desert traveler is the bisnaga, or "well of the desert."

From Project Gutenberg

Pearls big as bisnaga fruit an greeny-white like a high moon.

From Project Gutenberg

Another of picturesque appeal is the bisnaga or barrel cactus, of which there are many species of many sizes.

From Project Gutenberg

Here, too, they filled a bucket from the heart of a big Bisnaga cactus as a basis for their drink.

From Project Gutenberg