crab cactus

Save This Word!

noun

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

QUIZ

WILL YOU SAIL OR STUMBLE ON THESE GRAMMAR QUESTIONS?

Smoothly step over to these common grammar mistakes that trip many people up. Good luck!

Question 1 of 7

Fill in the blank: I can’t figure out _____ gave me this gift.

who

whom

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Also called Thanksgiving cactus.

Origin of crab cactus

An Americanism dating back to 1895–1900

Words nearby crab cactus

Crabbe, crabbed, crabber, crabbing, crabby, crab cactus, crab canon, crabeater, crab grass, crab louse, crabmeat

How to use crab cactus in a sentence

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
Someone called him a hermit crab lurking in the halls of the United Nations.
The Man Who Invented the Word ‘Genocide’|Nina Strochlic|November 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
There were jokes about Winston shoplifting crab legs earlier this year.
Jameis Winston's Inevitable #epicfail|Gideon Resnick|August 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Wrap cooked crab legs in bacon, and bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes.
Epic Meal Empire’s Meat Monstrosities: From the Bacon Spider to the Cinnabattleship|Harley Morenstein|July 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST

When it comes to Dungeness crab, plain is perfect, but culinary adventurers should also try a house-made Dungeness crab burger.
Become a Fried Seafood Believer at South Beach Market|Jane & Michael Stern|April 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Leo stood in front of the Crab, and the half darkness allowed him a glimpse of that vast blue-black back, and the motionless eyes.
Kipling Stories and Poems Every Child Should Know, Book II|Rudyard Kipling
In the middle of his singing he felt the cold touch of the Crab's claw on the apple of his throat.
Kipling Stories and Poems Every Child Should Know, Book II|Rudyard Kipling
The cactus is very common all over the Island, and miles of it are seen growing in the hedges.
The Philippine Islands|John Foreman
“Follow me, Mr Larks,” he said, turning and descending the ladder sailor-fashion—which means crab-wise.
The Floating Light of the Goodwin Sands|R.M. Ballantyne
She would miss the car and raise a hullabaloo, and maybe crab the whole thing in the start.
Cabin Fever|B. M. Bower