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cactus
[ kak-tuhs ]
/ ˈkæk təs /
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noun, plural cac·ti [kak-tahy], /ˈkæk taɪ/, cac·tus·es, cac·tus.
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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Origin of cactus
1600–10; <Latin <Greek káktos cardoon
OTHER WORDS FROM cactus
cac·tus·like, cactoid, adjectiveWords nearby cactus
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Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use cactus in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for cactus
cactus
/ (ˈkæktəs) /
noun plural -tuses or -ti (-taɪ)
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
cactus dahlia a double-flowered variety of dahlia
Derived forms of cactus
cactaceous (kækˈteɪʃəs), adjectiveWord Origin for cactus
C17: from Latin: prickly plant, from Greek kaktos cardoon
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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