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, adjective

Words nearby cactus

cacophonous, cacophony, cacqueteuse, cactaceous, cactoblastis, cactus, cactus dahlia, cactus geranium, cactus moth, cactus pear, cactus wren

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use cactus in a sentence

Hunger is already driving people to eat raw cactus, wild leaves and locusts, a food source of last resort.
Climate, Not Conflict. Madagascar's Famine is the First in Modern History to be Solely Caused by Global Warming|Aryn Baker|July 20, 2021|Time
Southwestern dirt is represented by Behr’s Canyon Dusk, which looks a little like a New Mexico landscape on a hot, dry day, without the cacti interspersed or the mountains on the horizon.
The trendiest paint colors of 2021|Valerie Blake|June 10, 2021|Washington Blade
There, your brain processes the touch your receptors felt, and determines whether you just tried to pet a cat or a cactus.
Let’s learn about touch|Bethany Brookshire|May 25, 2021|Science News For Students
Canyon Lake, about 45 minutes from Phoenix, is one of the smaller lakes along the Salt River and is a great place to paddle beneath cliffs topped with cactus.
The Ultimate Guide to Arizona Public Lands|Outside Editors|April 1, 2021|Outside Online

It might look cute and fun, but spines from this cactus break off easily.
Arizona's Best Trails for Every Kind of Hiker|Outside Editors|April 1, 2021|Outside Online
It all sounds a bit dramatic, but that cactus feels like something special.
Lost For Thousands of Strokes: 'Desert Golfing' Is 'Angry Birds' as Modern Art|Alec Kubas-Meyer|January 2, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Another choice is agave nectar, made from a type of cactus that grows in Mexico (yes, tequila fans, that cactus).
How to Watch Out for Hidden Sugar and Replace With Leaner Substitutes|Diana Le Dean|February 23, 2013|DAILY BEAST
“There is nothing but cattle, cactus, rocks, and steep canyons,” said Bisbee, Ariz., City Council member Ransom Burke.
Was Shooting of Border Patrol Agents in Arizona an Ambush?|Christine Pelisek|October 3, 2012|DAILY BEAST
At one point, the pair burst from the camp and fled, scampering barefoot over rocky, cactus-spotted terrain.
Journalist John Cantlie Learned How Deadly Syria Can Be When He Was Held Hostage by Jihadis|Mike Giglio|August 11, 2012|DAILY BEAST
Here cemitas are filled with potatoes, tender cactus, onions, jalapeños, and lots of Oaxacan cheese.
Best Mexican Food in New York City: The Daily Beast Takes a Tour|Michelle Gross|May 4, 2012|DAILY BEAST
The cactus is very common all over the Island, and miles of it are seen growing in the hedges.
The Philippine Islands|John Foreman
Half hidden by a growth of cactus and tangled vines, yawned a dark cavernous hole.
The Adventure Girls at K Bar O|Clair Blank
Another kind of cactus has crimson and scarlet blossoms, but no prickly pears.
The Nursery, November 1881, Vol. XXX|Various
Here and there a cactus plant thrust spiny arms into the air.
The Sunbridge Girls at Six Star Ranch|Eleanor H. (Eleanor Hodgman) Porter
We stood mute and motionless behind the cactus, discreetly, or indiscreetly, watching her.
Urania|Camille Flammarion

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), adjective

Word Origin for cactus

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

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012