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crab cactus

American  

noun

  1. a cactus, Schlumbergera truncata (orZygocactus truncatus ), native to Brazil, having stems with leaflike segments and showy red flowers and often cultivated as a houseplant.

Etymology

Origin of crab cactus

An Americanism dating back to 1895–1900

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The epiphyllum, or lobster cactus, or crab cactus, is one of the best of the family, easy of culture.

From Project Gutenberg

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.