cactus

[kak-tuhs]

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.

cactus

/ 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

Other Word Forms

• cactuslike adjective
• cactoid adjective
• cactaceous adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of cactus¹

1600–10; < Latin < Greek káktos cardoon

Word History and Origins

Origin of cactus¹

C17: from Latin: prickly plant, from Greek kaktos 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.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

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

Read more on Los Angeles Times

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

Read more on BBC

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

Read more on Los Angeles Times

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

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

When To Use

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.