cereus

American  

[seer-ee-uhs] / ˈsɪər i əs /

noun

plural

cereuses

1. any of various plants of the genus Cereus, of the cactus family, having large, usually white, funnel-shaped flowers.

2. any of several related, similar plants, especially of the genera Hylocereus, Nyctocereus, and Selenicereus.

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cereus British  

/ ˈsɪərɪəs /

noun

1. any tropical American cactus of the genus Cereus, esp C. jamacaru of N Brazil, which grows to a height of 13 metres (40 feet)

2. any of several similar and related cacti, such as the night-blooming cereus

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Etymology

Origin of cereus

1720–30; < New Latin, Latin cēreus wax candle, noun use of cēreus cereous

Example Sentences

"Testing for bacteria of the Bacillus cereus family is routinely offered," Francois Vigneau of lab testing firm Eurofins said last week.

From Barron's • Jan. 31, 2026

The bacteria Bacillus cereus was found to be the contaminant in the cause of all three deaths.

From BBC • Nov. 19, 2024

“B. cereus loves to grow in the warm and moist environment provided by cooked rice,” said Si Ming Man, a professor in the division of immunology and infectious diseases at the Australian National University.

From New York Times • Jun. 17, 2024

In experiments using Bacillus cereus bacteria as a model, researchers observed the activity of the complex in the presence of phages to gain insight into how the defense system works.

From Science Daily • Apr. 26, 2024

The botanist and the florist will dwell delightedly on the cricæ, orchids, cacti, the night-flowering cereus, etc., besides numberless others more familiar to us.—Dispatch.

From The Royal Guide to Wax Flower Modelling by Peachey, Emma